Let Me Sing to You Tonight
by SleepyWriter08
Summary: AU. Quinn's a struggling musician in New York who works at Rachel's favorite cafe. This is their story.  Please read warning in Chapter six.
1. Vegetable Car

**__****Title: Let Me Sing to You Tonight**

**__****Pairing: Rachel Berry&&Quinn Fabray**

**__****Rating: K**

**__****Part: 1/10**

**__****Disclaimer: This is a work of my own mind, and reflects nothing of the included characters I've borrowed from the lucky ass who owns them. In other words, this is for fun, don't sue me!**

**__****Author's Note: I've been much more active over on Livejournal but I decided to come back to my roots and let you guys get a peek of what's been rattling around in my head lately. Things to know about this story: **

**__****(1) This is AU. The two girls live in New York. Quinn is struggling with money, her past, and her heart. Rachel is fighting for her big break. We'll be following Quinn for most of the part with small omniscient details thrown in to help the story along.**

**__****(2) Each part is derived from a song. The title of the chapter is the title of the song. I highly recommend listening to the songs. I feel like they help to add an extra element to the story. In all honesty, there's usually going to be more than one song mentioned in each chapter. If you've got some extra time, plug it in YouTube. You might find a new addiction. **

**__****(3) This story is very tentative. I want to see if it's something people would enjoy so please, if only for this chapter, leave your thoughts. It really will impact what might or might not happen in the future and frankly, if the story will even be continued. So comments will be greatly appreciated but more than anything, I hope you enjoy! **

**Part 1/10 – Vegetable Car**

Quinn strummed the strings of the guitar she held in her hand, humming a soft tune as she played and replayed a line before plucking a chewed up pencil from behind her ears and scribbling something on a crumpled piece of paper. Previously etched out words were purposefully scratched out and replaced with new ones, a self-satisfied smile tugging at her lips as she reviewed what was in front of her.

A delicate hand reached up to place the pencil in its previous spot before pushing a tendril of blonde hair out of her face.

She began strumming the opening notes, her head lowered but bobbing gently to the beat. Her lips moved, whispered words dancing in the room.

A small beep caught her attention, her fingers stilling as she evaluated the time. She bit the inside of her cheek, eyes squinting at the clock for a moment longer before she sighed and set the instrument aside.

Quinn fell backwards, arms stretched over her head, her back arching to rid the joints of their stiffness. Sighing appreciatively, the lithe blond stood in the middle of the room, her bare foot tapping on the wood floor.

It would be ridiculous of her to be early.

Another moment passed before the blonde was reaching for her shoes and her apron.

She decided she didn't want to be late either.

* * *

Quinn pulled into the parking lot, the loose rocks crunching under her tires. Hazel eyes scanned the parking lot before darting back to the time, her shoulders relaxing.

She was on time.

The blonde exited her car, gritting her teeth at the creaking of the door of her old truck. She needed to get that fixed. To get that fixed she needed money. And that may very well be the root of all her problems, she mused, a small smile on her lips.

The small bell jingled as she pushed the door open, drawing the brief attention of the customers scattered throughout the café.

A large hand settled on her shoulder and a booming voice sounded off from behind her. "Quinn! We were just expecting you. Go ahead and grab the pastries out of the oven, would you? And where's your nametag?"

"Will do. I lost it, remember, Jimmy?" The blonde agreed, smiling up at the large African American man. "Mornin', by the way."

"Good **_afternoon_** to you, too. You're going to want to hurry with those pastries. You've only got about 12 minutes before she gets here. " The older man teased, laughing as the blonde's face took on a horror stricken expression before she hurried to the back.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch…" Quinn gritted out, her hands fumbling with the edge of the tray. She readjusted her grip when the heated weight was gone. For a split second, the girl worried that she had dropped the tray but realized that Kirsten had just taken it out of her hands.

"You know they invented oven mitts, right Q?" The brunette jokes, her nose crinkling as she smiled widely at the other girl.

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Quinn answered sardonically, as she moved the pastries into the display case, eyes flickering towards the clock. She had a good four and a half minutes.

Finishing hastily, the girl took a hold of the case and walked it out, setting it on the counter before wiping her hands on blue apron tied snugly around her.

Kirsten followed her out as she untied her own apron. Pulling it over her head, the girl leaned over the counter, the smell of vanilla invading Quinn's senses. "You got a set tonight?"

Nodding, Quinn tucked the seemingly always rogue tendril of hair behind her ear. Jimmy, the owner of the café, would often hire the two baristas to perform on the weekends as a way of earning some extra cash. "I've got next week too."

Kirsten's face scrunched up, her lips pushed to one side. "On V-day? That blows."

"I don't mind. I didn't have any plans anyway."

"But it's the best time to get laid! Go find a guy, or a girl in your case, at the bar who's feeling a little lonely and bang him!"

"Kirsten! Use your inside voice, stupid! It was given to you for a reason. I'm just not doing anything this year, no big deal."

"Suit yourself, buddy. I might swing by tonight. If I don't, I'll see you tomorrow." Kirsten turned to leave, looking over her shoulder briefly, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh and Quinn? Look alive. Your girl just pulled in."

Quinn's gaze shot up and her chest tightened at the sight of the green Mercedes pulling into its usual spot. She smoothed her apron with the palms of her hands, painfully aware of the thin layer of sweat over them.

A woman exited out of the driver's side, her fingers flying furiously over her Blackberry. Gaze glued to the little device, the brunette marched right into the café, avoiding Jimmy and his armful of dishes, coming to a stop right in front of Quinn. Her fingers continued for a second more before a button was successfully jabbed and the phone put away. The concentration of the girl disappeared, a large warm smile on her face.

"Good morning."

Quinn smiled feebly back at the girl. "Hi, welcome to Jimmy's. What can I get started for you?"

The brunette opened her mouth but was interrupted when the blonde held up a hand. "Lemme guess. Medium soy latte, extra foam, extra hot, with a shot of mocha and two of hazelnut." Quinn finished unsurely, even though everyone who worked there knew that she had had the order memorized by the third time this particular customer had ordered it.

Nodding, obviously impressed, the brunette grinned. "Don't tell me I'm that predictable."

"Well…" Quinn trailed off teasingly, letting out a small giggle when the brunette across from her scoffed indignantly and swatted playfully at her arm. "You- the truth is, that you come here every day during my shift and order the same thing. I just kind of got the hang of it after a while." Embarrassed, Quinn turned her back to the counter to hide the pink blush tingeing her cheeks, moving around expertly as she prepared the drink. With a free few seconds, Quinn turned back around, leaning on the counter and brushing her hair behind her ear, absentmindedly. "That's quite the car you've got there."

The brunette seemed to be shaken out of a small reverie but soon pride adorned her features. "It's completely eco-friendly! It runs solely on biodiesel and the mileage is surprisingly fantastic!"

The blonde nodded in appreciation, grateful that she had been right about that specific fact. Granted, she had spent more than a healthy amount of time researching the vehicle but it wasn't something necessary to be divulged. As she added the appropriate amounts of syrup into the cup, Quinn greedily took in the girl in front of her. Today was a chilly day in February but still the brunette in front of her donned a sinfully short skirt, and a navy blue sweater. Her hair cascaded down in loose dark brown waves. Quinn took in the deep pools of chocolate brown behind the black rimmed glasses.

"Who's this Quinn girl?"

Quinn jerked at the sound of her name, surprised at hearing it leave the mouth of this gorgeous woman and proceeded to spill hot water on her hand. She bit her tongue; eyes clenched shut in an attempt not to curse loudly. The initial pain subsided and Quinn shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm going to have to start over. You're not in any hurry, are you?"

At the shake of the customer's head, Quinn smiled apologetically and started the process over before grabbing an ice cube and running it over the afflicted area.

"You're alright, aren't you?"

The blonde nodded, holding up her hand for the shorter girl to see. "It's just a bit red. I'm fine."

"Good. I don't need my favorite barista getting injured on the job."

Quinn, unable to formulate a response, just shakily nodded before attending to the coffee.

"Wait a minute." The brunette stopped her, running a hand searchingly through her own auburn curls. Smiling in satisfaction, she held up a bobby pin, leaning over the counter towards Quinn. She pushed the loose blonde curl behind the barista's ear and pinned it back. "There you go! Now you won't be bothered anymore."

Quinn's hand touched the pin gently, completely transfixed by the brunette's face just inches away from hers and her fingers trailing along her cheekbones. The soft rumble of the coffee machine behind her caused her to stumble upon her words as she backed up, "I-I need to finish your coffee."

Unaffected, the short girl straightened herself and tapped her fingers on the counter, repeating her question from before. "So this Quinn? She any good?"

This time, the barista was able to keep from injuring herself any farther and finished pouring the water into the paper cup. "Ah- well…"

The brunette grinned, "So she sucks but you can't just aren't allowed to tell me?"

"I...W-why don't you come and find out for yourself?"

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow quirked up but to Quinn's surprise, the brunette nodded slowly. "Okay. But on one condition. You have to come too, so I'm not subjected to this torture alone."

Quinn's smile grew into a wide one as she good-naturedly agreed. "I think I can manage that. Here's your coffee…?"

"Rachel. Rachel Berry. And your nam-" The brunette's phone chose that very moment to ring and she offered an apologetic smile as she answered it. Mumbling incoherently to whoever was on the other line, Rachel pulled out a five and slid it over to the blonde. "Keep the tip," she mouthed, "I'll see you tonight."

With that, the brunette turned on her heel and left the café, giving Quinn a small wave before getting in her car, her hands flying animatedly to accentuate whatever point she was making on the phone.

Quinn sighed, happy with the exchange before realizing with a jolt that she now had her biggest crush coming to her set. Groaning internally, she muttered to herself, "I'm 24. I shouldn't be having crushes."

"You'd also think you'd have a little more game, but maybe you're just a late bloomer," Jimmy inputted as he walked out of the backroom.

"Thanks Jimbo…you're a real riot."

* * *

Quinn was quickly realizing that she had nothing to wear. She had come home immediately after work and showered. She was currently standing in the middle of her small room staring at the clothes strewn every which way. She had it narrowed down to a slimming pair of jeans and a black v-neck shirt. It was full-sleeved so she decided she'd forgo the jacket and don her calf high boots for tonight's occasion.

Her knee bounced the entire way to the café and she counted to 10, four and a half times before she grabbed her guitar and entered the café. The café was full of people milling around, these weekly sessions quite the hit with the public. A few people smiled her way, waving and making small talk. Some recognized her as the act, others didn't but Quinn's eyes were flitting around in the search of only one person.

"Hey, Q."

Quinn jumped, turning to the brunette standing behind her. "You showed up."

Kirsten nodded, jerking her head towards Jimmy at the bar. "He sent me a message telling me about your girl being here tonight. Did you know he knows how to text now?"

"I can hear you from here, Kirsten. Keep your voice down." Jimmy boomed, his own voice carrying over the small crowd's.

Quinn rolled her eyes at the exchange, eyes darting from the clock to the door. Kirsten, having noticed the lack of focus snapped in front of the blonde's face. "Text her, stupid."

Embarrassed, Quinn looked away. "I didn't get a chance to get her number."

Without even meeting the gaze of the other girl, Quinn shrunk a little bit at the disappointed sigh of her friend. "In that case, get your cute behind up there and start singing because you're on. If she shows, she shows. If she doesn't, then you can fuck some groupie."

"Kirsten! Watch your mouth!" Jimmy boomed from the bar.

The blonde rolled her eyes again and let her gaze drift over the crowd one last time before she reluctantly made her way up on the small stage. As she was unpacking her guitar and handing the fresh sheet music to the band, she failed to notice the entrance of a small brunette. Quinn hooked up the microphone and smiled sheepishly at the crowd.

"Hi, there. Some of you might know me. I'm sort of a regular at this place." A small ripple of laughter greeted the blonde, helping to ease her nerves. "This is actually a new song. I just finished it this morning. I hope you guys enjoy it."

Her fingers played the instrument smoothly, a heeled boot tapping the stool she was sitting on. Everyone had quieted down by now, and Quinn was in her element.

_"Baby, you don't even know me, but one day I'll get up the courage as you pass by, you'll see. Oh baby, one look just might save me. I need you to slow by the corner, stop right in front of me._

The beat of the song was uplifting, her voice breathy and hopeful as she serenaded the crowd.

_"Till then I see you hopefully through, I do wish that you'd ask me to ride along. It wouldn't be wrong to tell me more than I know about you."_

If the brunette wasn't here, she was going to have fun with the song and finally relax for the first time tonight. Quinn opened her eyes, body swaying side to side, a large smile on her face as she continued.

_"She drives a vegetable car. Diesel. Mercedes. Green. 2-door. I barely know who you are. Lisa Loeb glasses, I'd sure like to ask you to stay."_

The crowd had begun to sway to the music as well, the band and Quinn dancing as much as the stage permitted them to. Jimmy moved through the crowd, moving the stool off the stage to keep the singer from falling off the stage. Nodding a thanks, Quinn leaned in and sang the next verse.

_"Baby, I need you to save me. The one thing that my heart requires is that you admire me. Till then I see you hopefully through, I do wish that you'd ask me to ride along. It wouldn't be wrong to tell me more than I know about you."_

The blonde grinned at the crowd, dancing in a circle and encouraging the customers to sing along with her.

_"She drives a vegetable car. Diesel. Mercedes. Green. 2-door. I barely know who you are. Lisa Loeb glasses, I'd sure like to ask you to stay."_

Quinn moved her fingers, playing a different tune as she hopped in place, feeding off the energy of the crowd. _"How do I know why the sight of you makes me weak? Each time I see you turn on to my street, your hair is always up in a bun. This girl's the one. She drives a vegetable car. Diesel. Mercedes. Green. 2-door. I barely know who you are. Lisa Loeb glasses, I'd sure like to ask you to stay."_

"Don't go." Quinn breathed, smiling at the crowd, not registering the sound of the bell as someone hesitated briefly before leaving the café.

**_Author's note: So what do y'all think? Leave your thoughts please. I'd love to hear them! :)_**


	2. Valentine

_**Title: Let Me Sing to You Tonight**_

_**Pairing: Rachel Berry&&Quinn Fabray**_

_**Rating: T**_

_**Disclaimer: This is a work of my own mind, and reflects nothing of the included characters I've borrowed from the lucky ass who owns them. In other words, this is for fun, don't sue me!**_

**Part 2/10 – Valentine – Kina Grannis**

The incessant beeping of an alarm clock jerked Quinn out of her fitful sleep and the blonde reached over, her hand slamming down on the blinking device.

"God, I hate that fucking clock."

Sitting up in her bed with her arms stretched above her head, Quinn purred as the tiredness seeped out of her limbs.

The morning was as uneventful as any others as the blonde moved through her daily routine. Tomorrow would be precisely one week from when she learned Rachel Berry's name, she mused as she inspected her teeth in the bathroom mirror.

She had yet to gather up enough nerve to bring up the brunette's absence on Friday night. Swishing mouthwash around in her mouth, Quinn had to admit to herself that there could be a number of reasons that Rachel hadn't been able to come and that the only way to know for sure would be to ask her point blank.

After showering, the blonde hurried to her truck, her musings having put her behind schedule. She pulled into her usual spot, the breaks screeching as the truck came to a halt. Her green eyes flashed with frustration and she shoved the gear into park. It was just another thing that needed to be replaced to anyone else but for her, money had been so tight since she had left Ohio. Since she had left her family.

Her head dropped into her hands, and tears threatened to spill over as she struggled to compose herself.

"God, why can't I win the lottery or something?" She muttered as someone peeled out of the parking lot, engine roaring wildly. "Then maybe I'd buy a car that could go more than forty without shaking like a vibrator in a tin can."

Quinn groaned as she realized she was talking to herself, dragging herself out of the truck and into the coffee shop. The bell on the door rang as she trudged in, the customers' eyes flickering towards her before they returned to their conversations. Giving Jimmy and Kirsten a short nod, the blonde moved to the back to put away her things. Dropping her keys into the small locker, Quinn cursed under her breath when something sharp nicked her finger.

She bent over to look inside, pulling out a red rose and a newly minted nametag. Rolling her eyes, she breathed in the scent of the rose, a small smile on her lips as she walked outside. She pulled on her apron and attached her nametag as Kirsten came into her view.

"Somebody's got a flower. So did you end up with a valentine after all?" The brunette asked, toying with one of the petals.

Quinn laughed softly, "It's probably Jimmy taking pity on me."

The large man scoffed, "I've got my own wife to be spoiling, Quinnie. What you got on your hands is a secret admirer."

The blonde threw up her hands, "I'm not thirteen, Jimmy. There is no secret admirer."

"That's funny because it just so happens that the pretty little lady who dropped off that rose just left not even five minutes before you came in." He admitted, smiling at her.

Kirsten's eyes widened up at the man, "Is that why…?"

"Yes. Now leave the matter be and get back to work. I don't pay the two of you to sit around here and try to find a girlfriend for Quinn." Jimmy ordered, taking a hold of the brunette's apron and dragging her to the backroom.

Quinn's eyes flickered over the customers before she pulled out a small mug and filled it with water before plopping the rose into the water. Making sure the flower wouldn't topple over, the blonde smiled softly again before her attention was caught by the door.

Dressed in a long coat with a scarf and gloves to match, Rachel waltzed inside.

"Ahh, so you do have a name!" She greeted, giving the blonde a large toothy smile. "It's nice to see that you have a name tag."

"Hey, Rachel. How's your morning going?"

"Absolutely wonderful, and yours?"

"It could definitely be better, I suppose." Quinn admitted, starting Rachel's coffee.

"Why is it that your name sounds familiar?"

Pouring in the water, Quinn shook her head. "Quinn Fabray? You thought the name was odd when you saw it on the flyer?"

The brunette's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to place the name, her fingers snapping when it clicked. "The singer!" Immediately, her face fell. "Ooooh."

Quinn shrugged, moving behind the counter and adding the shots of syrup to the cup.

"Nice flower, you got there."

"Oh! Yeah, somebody left it with Jimmy this morning. He won't tell me who it is."

"Well, it's obvious that you've got a secret admirer, Quinn."

"No, no…it's just someone trying to mess with me." The blonde waved off, handing the freshly made drink to the other girl.

Rachel accepted readily, taking a sip and thanking the barista, "I wouldn't be too sure, hon. It is the day before Valentine's Day. Keep an open mind and you might just have yourself a date."

Quinn watched as the brunette winked before she waved to Jimmy, who was just coming out of the backroom, and left.

Turning around, the blonde narrowed her eyes at the smirk on his features. "What's got you so amused?"

His smirk just became more prominent as he walked away, refusing to answer the question.

"I am so fucking tired!" Kirsten exclaimed as she put the broom away before collapsing into one of the big armed plush chairs.

"Tell me about it," Quinn grumbled, wiping down the counter and double checking to make sure all machines had been turned off and emptied.

Yawning, the brunette stood up and stretched, running a hand through her hair. "You up for some drinks, Q?"

Raising an eyebrow, the other girl shook her head, "No way. The only thing I'm up for is some downtime with me and my bed and what happened to you being so tired?"

"Hey, no one can ever be too tired for some drinks."

Quinn looked up, tilting her head and the brunette rolled her eyes, "Except, of course, you."

"Got that right, Kirst. Do me a favor and grab my stuff from the back. Let's lock up and get out of here."

"Sure thing," Kirsten agreed, calling back as she walked away, "So what happened with you and Berry?"

Sighing softly, Quinn shrugged. "Nothing. She never showed on Friday. I really do think that this coffee thing is all we'll ever have."

It shouldn't sting as much as it did, but the blonde knew that if she took the time, she could get over it. That she would get over it. She just needed time.

Kirsten touched her shoulder gingerly, handing over her purse and speaking softly, "Here, Q. Just don't count her out. If you keep an open mind, you might just find a surprise."

Quinn nodded as she followed the brunette out, murmuring. "Yeah. You never know."

Tapping the microphone, Quinn winced when a loud screech came over the speakers. "Yikes. Sorry about that."

The blonde could feel her face heating up as she took her place on the stool, her guitar held securely in her hands. "So I know that this is Valentine's Day, so I'll wrap this up a little earlier than I normally do."

She strummed the strings absentmindedly, "I'm going to play you a short little love song, tonight. It's called 'Valentine' and it's by Kina Grannis."

A few of the veterans clapped their hands, the band stepping off the stage and leaving Quinn to handle the final song.

"_Love, it's a special day. We should celebrate and appreciate that you and me found something pretty neat." _ Quinn began, picking the strings on her guitar and swaying to the music. "_And I know some say this day is arbitrary…"_

"_But it's a good excuse, to put our love to use. Baby, I know what to do. Baby, I will love you. I'll love you, I'll love you."_

A small bell of the door caught her attention, a late arrival shuffling through the back of the crowd. Turning her head, Quinn caught sight of a familiar head bobbing over to the bar. Her attention briefly distracted, Quinn nearly missed a chord before catching herself in time.

"_Love, I don't need those things. I don't need no ring, I don't need anything. But you with me, 'Cause in your company, I feel happy, oh so happy and complete." _

Quinn did her best to keep her concentration as she craned her neck to catch a better look, but she was failing miserably. Closing her eyes, the blonde continued on, "_So, won't you be my honeybee? Giving me kisses all the time, be mine. Be my valentine." _

Eyes fluttering open, she saw the back end of a black coat as whoever had entered leaving the café rather quickly. The blonde couldn't sing the last few lines fast enough, the chords sounding off in the small room.

"I-That's it for tonight, you guys. You guys have been great. Happy Valentine's Day."

Quinn stood and set her guitar to the side, moving towards Kirsten who was holding an arm full of roses and smirking, "Who was that?"

"There's a card that comes along with these roses, Q. Take your flowers and read the card. Looks like you really do have a valentine after all." The blonde's friend said as she handed the bouquet of flowers over to Quinn.

Rolling her eyes, the singer pulled at the small envelope, looking up every now and then as she smiled at the customers milling around the room.

_Come find me and maybe you'll get that ride you've always wanted._

_ Call me – (555)340-3849_

Quinn's eyes widened, pulling out her phone and plugging the digits in. Pushing her way out of the crowded café, the blonde pressed her ear against the speaker and listened to the phone ring.

"_Hello?" A muffled voice coming through, barely indecipherable. _

"I- um – Hi?" Groaning internally, Quinn rolled her eyes at her inability to talk.

"_Quinn?"_

Clearing her throat, Quinn replied. "Yeah. It's me. Who is this?" As soon as the question was out her mouth, she threw her hands up. It had to be her. The ride was a direct reference to the song that Quinn had written about Rachel. But she never came to the act so was there someone else behind this whole thing? The voice certainly didn't sound like it belonged to the petite brunette.

"_Well, if I told you who it was, you wouldn't really have a secret admirer anymore, would you?"_

"Oh, come on! This is childish. Are- are you talking into your hand?"

"_I didn't have time to purchase a proper voice distorter and therefore had to resort to this. Regardless of the manner in which I'm speaking, are you ready for your next clue?"_

"Clue?"

"_Of course. Did you really think that this phone call was going to be the end of the mystery? Oh no, my Quinn, this is just the beginning."_

Quinn's heart lurched at the possessiveness, but forgoing the questions bubbling inside, she pushed the caller to explain the next move. "Alright, so…what am I supposed to do now?"

"_There is a single place in this city where you can get the roses I had delivered earlier. Every flower shop has roses, but only a single place has that unique little extra. Find that place and you'll find the code word. Just call me back and give me the word and I'll give you the next hint."_

"This is really elaborate, Rachel."

"_Well, thank you." _A small pause followed by a shriek that would have cracked a glass if amplified just a slight more._ "That's cheating! You're not allowed to bamboozle me into revealing my identity."_

Chuckling, the blonde kicked a small rock out of her way. "I hardly call assuming who you were bamboozling you."

"_Would you like me to revoke the invitation?"_

Quinn could feel the blush creeping up in her cheeks and she turned her face, looking away from the brunette. "I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to make sure I was right. I didn't want to end up in the arms of a psycho at the end of the night." Panicking, the blonde stammered, trying to backpedal. "Not that I think that I'll end up in your arms tonight. I mean, not that I'm opposed to that or anything, I just don't want to— never mind. I have a single condition. Let's play twenty questions. We can text if it'll be convenient. In all honesty, I don't really know much about you with the exception of the outrageous drink you must have each morning."

"_I suppose that's fair. It would be tragic for us to prolong getting to know each other any further."_

Agreeing, Quinn said her goodbyes, running her fingers over the roses, looking for the smallest effect that could have made this bouquet different from the hundreds of other ones created in flower shops all over the city. Reaching the petals, the blonde sighed, not finding anything until she pulled her fingers away, the light catching on something on her fingertips. Bringing them closer for inspection, the blonde found that they were coated with a very fine and subtle glitter and upon further examination, it was determined that the petals were as well.

Bolting inside of the coffee shop, Quinn hurried to the backroom, logging onto the computer stored in Jimmy's office. She pulled up a search engine typing in a few key words, impatiently waiting for the results to come up on the screen. Hazel eyes searched over the names of various shops until one caught her eye. She jotted down the address, rushing out to her car and on her way to the next clue and a waiting Rachel Berry.

"—and then after the water is sprayed over the petals, a thin layer of glitter is applied over the roses and as the water dries and the majority of the glitter falls away, there is a small sparkle that can only be found on their roses." Quinn finished, proud of herself. "Oh!" Flipping over the card, the blonde continued, "The code word is Barbara Streisand. Wait- really?"

"_Of course it's Barbara Streisand, I love her, remember?"_

Nodding, Quinn pushed on for the next clue, listening closely to the brunette's words.

"_Alright, I'm very particular when it comes to foods and when it comes to hot dogs, I must only have a completely meatless one. There is only one place in this entire city that serves hot dogs that abide completely by vegan standards. Ask the man for the Berry usual and he'll hand you the next card." _

Grinning, Quinn pulled out of the parking lot, already knowing where she was headed. She had gone through a brief phase where she had only eaten foods without any animal byproducts. To be honest, Quinn had only lasted a few weeks before crumbling down and inhaling an entire packet of bacon in one sitting.

"Hey, I'm just going to ask you my next question right now, okay?" Quinn said, pulling up next to the hot dog vender. "Why did you come to deliver the flowers earlier, rather than having them delivered by someone else? It would have ruined your whole plan had you been caught."

"_The answer to that is actually very simple. I took the risk because I wanted to hear you sing." _

Gesturing the vendor to come closer, Quinn rocked back on her heels, jaw shifting ever so subtly, "You could have just come on Friday night like you said you would."

"_In my defense, I hardly knew it was you who was singing. And moreover, I was there. I just left early." _

"You, wait- what?"

"_Vegetable car, which I'm certain, is referring to the car I drive. My glasses, which mind you, are nothing, like Lisa Loeb's…"_

A loud groan escaped the blonde who immediately covered her blushing face with her hands, voice coming out garbled, "You were there!"

"_I was, indeed." _

Letting out a long breath, Quinn straightened and gave vendor a small smile, mouthing her order to him. "So is that what spurred this whole thing?"

Rachel's laugh came through the speaker, setting Quinn's nerves all tingly. "Oh no. That's because of your friend."

"My – who?"

"The other barista here. The one with the brown hair that talks entirely too inappropriately in public."

The blonde laughed, taking the card and the fresh hot dog from the vendor. She quickly paid and reentered her car, "Okay, I know who you're talking about, now. What happened?"

"She pulled me aside in the parking lot and demanded to know my sexual preference on Tuesday."

Quinn choked on the bite of the hot dog, coughing violently, "She didn't!"

"_No, she really did. I clarified that although it was none of her business, I was bisexual at which point she mentioned your slight infatuation with me."_

"She mentioned my…oh my God, I'm going to kill her." Quinn muttered.

"_I wouldn't be so quick to do that. I mean, it did get us here, didn't it?" _Rachel pointed out.

"True. But why did you leave?"

Clicking her tongue, Rachel continued_. "I liked you before this whole exchange ever happened but in all honesty, you don't seem to be the type of girl who likes other girls. I don't handle rejection well and when I heard the song you had written, I panicked because I didn't want to assume it was me but all the coincidences and…" _Pausing to collect her thoughts, the girl continued. _"She told me that my assumptions were right and that I shouldn't let you get away. Now, rather it being the rejection I fear, it's the thought of losing my chance with you that frightens me exponentially more."_

Hardly a beat went by, before the other girl rushed to clarify, _"Not that that means I want you to reject me. I still would very much like that you accept the offer on the table."_

"The off- oh, right the drive."

Quinn paused for a few seconds, mulling it over before answering, her grin evident in her words. "I would absolutely _love_ to go for a drive. Also, the next code word?" Picking up the card, the blonde groaned. "Vegetable car? Really, Rach?"

Laughing, the brunette teased, "Hey, I didn't plan on telling you I'd been there for your performance before you got to this point. Would you like your next clue?"

Taking another bite of the hot dog, Quinn agreed, her mouth full of food, "Yemf pleefe."

"Look for the code word."

"What?" Quinn scrunched her forehead, speaking up, "Hello?" Looking down, she saw that she had been hung up on. "Look for the code word?"

Getting out of the car, the blonde unhappily pulled her coat tighter around her, glancing around the street for another sign. _Does that mean I have to look for what I think the next clue might be myself? I don't know her well enough to do that! _Turning around, Quinn's eyes caught a very familiar tail light in the distance.

Look for the code word. The code word was vegetable car. As Quinn neared the car, she gleefully noted that it was a make and model of Rachel's car, down to the very color. Look for the vegetable car.

Reaching the window, Quinn knocked twice on the driver's side. When nothing happened, the blonde's face fell. With the windows as tinted as they were, she had no way of telling if there was anyone inside or not.

Turning away, defeated, the roar of an engine startled the blonde. She turned to find the Mercedes on and the driver's door opening painfully slowly.

A heeled foot made contact with the pavement and Quinn's eyes followed, captivated, along the curves of the calves, the sinfully exposed thighs, and over the one of the most snug and most sexiest dresses she had ever laid eyes upon on one of the most sexiest women she had ever seen.

Rachel shifted under Quinn's unrelenting gaze, giving her a smile and a small teddy bear. "Guess you win."

The blonde, having difficulty speaking, simply nodded.

"Soooo, wanna go for a ride?" Another nod.

Grinning widely, Rachel hopped forward, enveloping Quinn in a tight embrace. "Great! Come on! Let's go."

The ride had been easy for both the girls, the game having broken most of the ice already. They had figured out pet peeves, favorite colors, aspirations, childhood memories, and an array of other small tokens of knowledge.

Rachel slowed the car in an abandoned parking lot, gesturing towards the windshield. "This is one of my favorite places to come. I figured it would be the proper place to bring you here because you're rapidly climbing on my list of favorite people."

The girl finished her sentence with a blush, shrugging as she got out of the car.

Quinn followed suit, coming up to stand beside Rachel on the sand. They were overlooking a lake, one that she had never been to before, and it seemed all but ditched by the entire world.

"Not many people know about that turn up by that hill. This part of the lake is pretty much private. I've never come upon anyone else here but I've seen cans and things lying around so I'm certain that I'm not the only person who knows about this side."

The blonde could only nod, her gaze captivated by the sparkling water lapping at the shore and the moon's reflection over the swaying blue. "It's gorgeous, here, Rachel."

"I know. Which is why I wanted to bring you here to ask my last and final question of our game."

Turning towards Rachel, Quinn gave the girl her undivided attention.

Rachel took a deep breath, composing herself before her eyes fluttered open and she gazed into Quinn's eyes. "Will you be my valentine?"

Quinn's lungs ceased to work, her mind reeling from the fact that the girl that she had spent hours waiting to spend just a few moments with was asking her to be her valentine. Without thinking, she stepped forward, pressing her lips softly against the brunette's, as if it had been a ghost of a kiss.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Hell yes."

_**Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed this! I feel much more comfortable and happy with this version than the one that I had written before. I've been writing like crazy so expect regular updates. The schedule for this fic is every 48 hours, with the exception of Chapter 3 which is up already. **_


	3. Melt into You

_**Title: Let Me Sing to You Tonight**_

_**Pairing: Rachel Berry&&Quinn Fabray**_

_**Rating: T**_

_**Part: 3/10**_

_**WARNING: THE SECOND PART OF THIS STORY HAS BEEN REWRITTEN. I WASN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY IT CAME OUT AND I REWROTE IT. REREAD CHAPTER TWO BEFORE READING THIS PART BECAUSE YOU WILL BE LOST IF YOU DON'T. **_

_**Disclaimer: This is a work of my own mind, and reflects nothing of the included characters I've borrowed from the lucky ass who owns them. In other words, this is for fun, don't sue me!**_

_**Author's Note: I know I vanished but I had a reason. I had to study my behind off so that I could get my acceptance into UC Davis. After a lot of hard work, I am now looking for an apartment in Davis because I'm goiiiing to UC Daaaavis. With an entire week off work, I've been writing continuously. This is the third installment.**_

**Part 3/10 – Melt into You – Sara Haze**

Sighing softly, the brunette pulled away, twirling towards the shore. "Come here, Quinn."

Quinn's eyes fluttered open, her lips parted and she exhaled deeply before willing her legs to move.

"The water always calms me. It's something constant but always changing. Something about it makes me forget about anything and everything that's wrong." Plopping down, Rachel dug her toes in the wet sand, sitting far enough so that the water wouldn't reach her.

Quinn sat down right next to Rachel, pinkies brushing slightly. "I get that. The beach is like that for most people."

Rachel glanced down at their hands, taking Quinn's and lacing their fingers together. "I'm not most people, Quinn."

"No, you're most certainly not." Turning to face the brunette, Quinn smiled. "Tell me what it's like to be on stage, performing in front of hundreds of people."

The brown orbs gazing at her hardened, Rachel's smile tightening a bit in the corners. "I'll let you know when I get a part that people will actually notice. Right now, I'm just up for supporting roles at the most. It's harder than I thought, you know?"

"I do. Becoming a musician here is probably just as hard. When I came here, I thought I'd get discovered in no time at all and be headlining all over the country within a year."

"Quite naïve, don't you think? I left Ohio so sure that I'd make it here on Broadway and here I am, struggling to even get a lead role in a lame community show."

Leaning over, she nudged the blonde, pulling her a little closer. "Ten bucks says that you end up headlining before I do."

Quinn let out a free laugh, resting her head on Rachel's shoulder. "I just want to move people."

"You will, someday."

There was a lull in the conversation, but not one that was uncomfortable.

"Quinn?"

"Hmmm?"

"Sing for me?"

Pulling away, Quinn groaned softly. "Sing for you? You've already heard me sing before."

"I've heard you singing in front of a crowd, Quinn. You said you wanted to move people. Move me. Sing something right now."

Pausing, the blonde racked her head and opened her mouth to sing the first few words, her voice cracking a bit. _"I hold tight, it slips through my fingers, like whispers falling off my tongue. Your kiss on my lips still lingers, suddenly it feels like we're alone right now."_

"_Don't talk, don't breathe, don't move, don't speak. Don't make a sound, in case it leaves. Let it spin around, bur don't blink twice, it could disappear."_ Rachel joined in, her voice weaving around Quinn's.

"I didn't know you sang, or even knew that song, let alone that." The blonde interjected.

"You never asked me and it never came up. I'll have you know that a huge part of performing on Broadway is about being able to have a voice that carries. I've been taking vocal lessons since I was ten."

Nodding, Quinn continued to sing softly_. "So turn off the stars or they'll start to blind us. Stay where we are, but leave it behind us."_

"_We're falling apart, but falling together now." _Rachel continued, helping her

"_I melt into you, melt into you. Youuuuu melt into me, melt into me. And I won't ever let you go."_

Quinn's voice trailed away, Rachel snuggled close against her body.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"About me?" Quinn clarified.

Continuing at Rachel's nod, Quinn leaned closer to the other girl, bracing herself from the cold. She clicked her tongue, a soft smile playing on her lips as she straightened up and kissed Rachel's cheek. "I really like you."

The taller girl felt a content hum vibrate through the actress's body, "I like you, too. Happy Valentine's Day, Quinn."

Closing her eyes, Quinn's smile got a little wider as she tightened her hold on the other girl's hand. "Mmmm, happy Valentine's Day, Rachel."

* * *

The remainder of the month passed quickly. Quinn had nearly shot herself after the first date, giving her date a bite of her dinner only to find that it contained a dangerous allergen of the brunette's. With the remaining date spent in the emergency room, Quinn had been certain she had ruined all chances of any further meetings. The blonde had been pleasantly surprised when Rachel appeared at the café the next day with a movie in one hand and a pint of ice cream to sooth both the brunette's throat and the blonde's ego. Dates whirling together and memories mixing together, the two became quickly inseparable. Rachel was a common fixation at any of Quinn's small gigs, while the blonde never missed a single performance of Rachel's, no matter how small her role.

The brunette had also become a common sight around the café, begrudgingly given permission from Jimmy to be allowed behind the bar.

Kirsten and Rachel had struck up a quick friendship, both women having trouble with their vocal filters and their inability to use their inside voices for long periods at a time.

The middle of March found the pair working to concoct a special coffee drink to add to the menu. Quinn handed the change and a fresh drink over to one of the late stragglers before turning towards the two brunettes.

Immediately, she was presented with a small shot of liquid. "Here, babe. Try this one. It's got marshmallow sauce, caramel sauce, and two shots of the morning brew."

Cautious, Quinn took the small glass, nose crinkling at the strong smell. Glancing up at Rachel, who was looking on expectantly, she took a small sip of the drink. "Oh God-"

"The tone of that exclamation doesn't sound nearly as positive as I had hoped, Quinn."

The blonde swallowed hard, looking at her girlfriend apologetically. "I really think you should stick with acting, Rach. Making coffee is not your forte."

Scoffing indignantly, Rachel rolled her eyes before frowning at the clock. "Actually, I think I need to get going. I have an audition in about an hour and being punctual is more important than you know."

Leaning in, Quinn pecked Rachel on the lips. "Good luck, baby, Call me afterwards, okay?"

"Sure thing. Bye Kirsten!" She called out.

Kirsten appeared from the backroom, wiping her hands. "Good luck, half pint. Also, Q. You're off. You can go with her to the audition."

Agreeing, Quinn looked over at Rachel who was standing with a deep frown imbedded on her face. "I don't think that'll work out, Quinn. They're very particular about who comes in and I'm sure you have better things to do."

The petite brunette hurried out of the small building, waving at the two girls before Quinn could protest. Kirsten turned towards the other girl with an eyebrow quirked high.

"Nice catch, you got there, Q."

Rolling her eyes, Quinn swatted at the brunette playfully. "She's just a little high strung, is all. I mean, she's probably worried about acting in front of me."

Kirsten shrugged, lugging a box of empty glasses and other various dishes to the back to wash. "I just think it's weird that she took off so fast. Don't get me wrong, Half-pint's great and all. She's just a little antsy when it comes to her acting career." The girl called out. "I mean, exactly how much do you really know about these auditions?"

Quinn's eyes narrowed a little as she stalked into the backroom. "Auditions are auditions, Kirsten. What exactly are you trying to get at?"

"I'm wondering why the thought of having you come to an audition freaked her out so bad, Quinn! You and I both know what most of the big shots want out of us!" The brunette snapped, twirling around. "I'm not saying she's over their porking the director but you're fooling yourself if you think that she hasn't been offered that route before. You were and look where saying no got you. Working long hours at a coffee house and playing small café's, hoping to get discovered by some morally correct CEO of a recording label."

At the sound of the door's bell, Kirsten slammed one of the drawers shut and stormed out to the front.

Quinn followed the girl out, in time to see her snap at the scrawny man waiting at the counter. "What do you want?"

"I-I wanted a latte."

Kirsten tossed the washcloth aside, her glare frightening the bumbling young man. "Machine's broken. Go find a Starbucks."

The man flinched before bolting out of the coffee shop, the tires squealing out of the parking lot. "Kirsten!"

"What, Quinn? You're on my ass for just asking why your girlfriend won't let you show up to her fucking audition!"

"Language, Kirsten!" Jimmy boomed, glaring at the girls as he lugged a massive box inside the store. "I think I might have to resort to duct taping your mouth shut."

"I'm out of here, Kirsten. Get your head out of your ass in the meantime." Quinn snapped at her friend before making her way out of the café.

She slammed the door of her car, rubbing her forehead. Kirsten was just being stupid and there was no reason that she had to analyze the fact that Rachel didn't want her to be at the audition. Maybe dropping by the theatre wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Quinn was in the process of starting the car when her phone rang.

Pulling the phone out of her bag, the blonde answered angrily. "What the hell is it?"

"_Wow, what a welcome, Blondie. Hello to you, too."_

"_Hi, Q!"_ A different voice chimed in.

Quinn's anger deflated and she smiled into the phone. "Hey, San. Brittany. How are you two?"

"_On our way to the big apple. No big deal."_ Santana casually teased.

"You're kidding!" Quinn exclaimed. "When are you getting in?"

"_In about twenty five minutes."_ Brittany said. _"Even sooner if San keeps going past the speed limit. We'll see you at your apartment? I'm really hungry and I wanna go to that sandwich place that we always go to."_

"_Be there when we are, Q!"_ Santana added in, ending the call.

Santana and Brittany had been through a lot with Quinn. The trio had met in Kindergarten and remained close throughout high school. Santana and Quinn had had their share of fights, at one point refusing to even speak to each other. In the blonde's defense, the Latina had attempted to dethrone her of her head cheerleader title. In fact, if it hadn't been for Brittany, it's very possible that the two other girls would have never gotten as close to each other as they had become.

Quinn started the car, eager to see her two best friends, pulled out of the café and hurried home. Pulling up, she saw the black BMW. Cursing underneath her breath, she ran out of the car and up to the door. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I got caught in a couple of traffic lights and behind this bastard who wouldn't go over 25 miles of an hour." Taking a breath, she broke into a smile and enveloped the two girls standing in front of her door. "It's so good to see you guys again."

"Mmmm, you too, Q." Santana murmured, pushing the blonde away. "Now give me a little bit of breathing room. We've got some news, Quinnie."

Furrowing her brow, the musician opened her mouth only to be interrupted by the bubblier blonde, and a hand shoved in her face. "Santana proposed!"

Quinn's eyes widened when she caught sight of the rock that Santana had bought for the other girl, grabbing Brittany's hand and pulling it closer. "Holy crap, that's a massive stone, S!"

Santana grinned smugly at the blonde. Her two best friends had found the loves of their lives at such an early age, even though Santana vehemently denied it until Brittany refused to talk to her, at which point the Latina had professed her love for her in an over the top fashion.

It had been between freshman and sophomore year in high school when Quinn had walked in on her friends locking lips in the bedroom. Quinn had been a little uncomfortable after that, always awkwardly dancing around the topic. It wasn't until Quinn's freshman year in college when she woke up in the arms of her gorgeous redheaded roommate, that she realized that she only found the topic awkward because, hell, she loved women and she was going to enjoy them to the fullest, damn it.

"I love the ring because it's so shiny and Santana always smiles at me whenever she catches me staring at it." Brittany gushed.

Rolling her eyes, Santana interjected. "Come on, Quinn. Open up the door so we can drop our stuff off and let's go grab some food. You have to tell me all about this new girl that's gotten your panties in a bunch."

Leaning in, Quinn opened up the door and stepped aside, letting her friends go inside and drop off their stuff. "You guys want a drink beforehand? We can grab some beers…?"

Santana shrugged, looking over at her fiancée whose stomach grumbled at just that moment. Covering her stomach, Brittany smiled sheepishly over at the other two. "Can we go eat?"

* * *

Santana bit into her burger, eyes rolling at the blonde in front of her. She leaned back, letting Brittany steal a few of her fries, "I don't think that there's any reason at all to be freaking out at about Berry not wanting you to be in her audition."

"I know! It's just Kirsten getting in my head." Quinn agreed, stabbing a piece of lettuce with her fork. "Anyway, enough about that. Brittany, tell me about your studio!"

The blonde slurped up a piece of spaghetti, her eyes lighting up. "Oh my God, Quinn. It's amazing. The kids that are in the dance classes are so adorable! There's this little girl who told me that she wants to be just like me when she grows up." Brittany finished. "I didn't think that the whole thing was going to work at first, but now I'm in the middle of all these classes and we're all filled up for the next set of classes."

"And the tour offer?" Quinn questioned, asking about the recent offer Brittany had been offered.

"I couldn't. Those kids are amazing and besides, I'm actually here to pitch a routine for some music video."

Smiling fondly at the successful dancer, Quinn turned towards Santana. "And you, S. What's the firm saying about the internship?"

The Latina looked over at Brittany, giving her a small smile. "They're, well, they're looking to hire me permanently after the internship is over. It's no big thing."

"It's a huge thing, Q." Brittany interjected. "She's sort of a big shot over there."

Quinn grinned at the other blonde, "I'm sure she is, B. That's great news, though, San. It must be nice to know that your fat ass got in at some law firm."

"At least I've got an ass, Blonde." Santana quipped.

Rolling her eyes, Brittany tapped Santana on her shoulder. "San, I want to meet Rachel."

Turning, the Latina nodded vehemently. "Yeah, call your girl up! I need to meet the girl who managed to rein in you, Fabray."

Quinn stuck out her tongue at the tan girl, ignoring the immaturity of the action. She pulled out her phone and dialed Rachel's number, pressing the speaker against her ear.

"Hey, Rachel. It's me. Do you want to meet up after your audition? I've got some people I want you to meet."


	4. The Last Thing on Your Mind

_**Title: Let Me Sing to You Tonight**_

_**Pairing: Rachel Berry&&Quinn Fabray**_

_**Rating: T**_

_**Part: 4/10**_

_**Disclaimer: This is a work of my own mind, and reflects nothing of the included characters I've borrowed from the lucky ass who owns them. In other words, this is for fun, don't sue me!**_

_**Author's Note: Here's the fourth part! I can't wait to hear what you guys think? **_

Quinn leaned towards the mirror, applying what was sure to be her fourth coat of mascara that evening.

"Seriously, Fabray! Are you really putting on more makeup?" Santana exclaimed, pecking Brittany on the cheek as she sat down next to the blonde. "You really are sprung on this girl, aren't you? When is she coming over?"

Quinn shook her head, setting aside the tube of mascara, and straightened up. "She's going to meet us there in exactly…twenty five minutes. Shit."

Brittany groaned, dropping her head into the crook of Santana's neck. "This means that I have to go through more of that crazy driving, don't I?"

Santana clambered out of Quinn's truck, falling to her knees and clutching the loose pebbles of the pavement. "I am never going to let you drive Brittany or I anywhere else again!"

"S-Sa-San?" Brittany's voice wavered from the backseat of the truck. "Can I open my eyes now?"

Snickering, Quinn exited her truck, opening the backdoor and pulling the poor girl out. "It's New York, guys. I can't be held responsible for the way I drive anymore."

Holding a hand out to the Latina, Quinn helped the woman to her feet and grinned. "And if I do recall just a few years ago, someone called me and rather excitedly exclaimed that she had managed to hit 134 miles per hour in her new car."

Brittany turned to Santana, eyes wide and frightened. "S, you told me that this was the first time you'd ever gone over the speed limit!"

The lawyer narrowed her eyes, completely unhappy at being found out, and turned to focus on showering her fiancée with affection and excuses so as to get out of trouble.

"Hi, Quinn." A soft voice called out from behind the girls, catching their attention.

Quinn's jaw immediately slackened, eyes catching sight of a very chic looking Rachel Berry. A hazel colored gaze followed up the lean legs, tripping over the woman's mouthwatering hips, and dragged up to meet a blushing brown-eyed beauty. "You look…wow."

"Thank you, Quinn. You look gorgeous as well, but that, of course, isn't a rare event in the slightest." Rachel replied, eyes briefly meeting the blonde's before dropping down to the floor again, a soft smile on her lips.

Walking over, the musician encircled the girl in her arms, inhaling deeply as Rachel draped her arms around her neck. Quinn pulled away; keeping an arm wrapped protectively around the brunette's waist and grinned at the other couple. "Brittany, Santana. This is Rachel Berry. Rach, these are my best friends."

Santana nodded, acknowledging the other girl. The Latina had always been a little less reserved around other people which Quinn had warned Rachel about ahead of time via text. Brittany, on the other hand, danced over, pulling the brunette into her arms and squeezing her warmly.

"It's so nice to meet you, Rachel! Quinn's been talking nonstop about you for so long!" Brittany gushed, reaching back for Santana's hand and linking their pinkies. "Santana almost hit her six times today because she wouldn't stop talking about how amazing youmph-"

"As funny as this is, I'm going to stop this right here, because Quinnie, even I'm embarrassed for you." Santana explained, removing her hand slowly from Brittany's mouth. "Can we go inside now or are we going to stand out here and freeze our asses off? Our reservations are going to get cancelled if we don't get in there and if I don't get inside soon, I'm going to murder you in your sleep tonight, Blondie."

"Charming, that one." Rachel muttered, reaching for Quinn's hand.

Nodding, Quinn laced her fingers with Rachel's and led the way inside, bypassing the crowd and getting seated rather quickly.

Rachel's eyes, bright and shining, took in the restaurant, similar to the way that Brittany was. Santana and Quinn exchanged glances, rolling their eyes at the way that their significant others were acting.

The actress, taking a sip of her water, cleared her throat before leaning in. "So tell me all about it. Who proposed? How did you do it? Have you two set a date yet?"

Santana's forehead furrowed and Brittany's hands flew up to her head as she exclaimed. "Are you a mind ninja?"

Rachel, very obviously embarrassed, backtracked quickly in an attempt to explain herself. "I just assumed that because you two were so affectionate with each other, that you were indeed an item and when I noticed that there were engagement rings on both your hands, that you one of you had proposed. I apologize profusely if I was wrong in assuming any of this because in hind sight, I can actually see there being many reasons why the both of you would be wearing rings and holding hands and-"

"Fuck me." Santana whispered. "Do you not need to breathe, Berry?"

"Santana!" Quinn reprimanded to which the Latina shrugged.

"You can't tell me that you did not notice how she didn't take a breath during that entire fucking monologue." The woman argued, leaning back and returning to the menu.

"S, I want fish and chips." Brittany whined unhappily. "I can't find any here."

Quinn rolled her eyes, resting a hand on Rachel's knee. "You're right, baby. They've been dating since they were both juniors in high school. Santana proposed about a month ago and she did it in a hot air balloon. Champagne, romantic music, down on one knee, and everything."

"She even cried a little!" Brittany inputted much to Santana's dismay.

"I did not! The wind whipped my hair in my eyes. There was a fucking bug in my eye. The balloon guy ripped a nasty one?" Santana tried, sighing dejectedly. "Fine, I cried. But this gets out to no one. If I ever hear this out of anyone else's mouth, you can be sure that I will hunt both of you down and make you die slow and painful deaths, or my name isn't Santana fucking Lopez."

Rachel's laugh was as clear as day, loud and happy until she realized that no one was laughing along with her. Looking at the other occupants of the table, the brunette ventured. "Something tells me she's not exactly joking around here."

"I…no, Rach. She's not." Quinn cleared her throat as Brittany shook her head solemnly from across the table.

"Because of your profession in law, I hope you're well aware of the repercussions of committing a homicide and that you would more than likely lose your license if you were to be found out. Also, incarcerated time would almost be inevitable and I highly doubt that Brittany would be in favor of only seeing her wife during…conjugal…visits?" The brunette trailed off, meeting Santana's glare and squeaking in fear, cowering behind the menu.

"I also very much like being alive, especially with an equally lively Quinn, and we all know that you're quite the reasonable person with great taste, nonetheless. Is that Chanel that you're wearing? No? Whatever it is, it's fantastic." Rachel appealed to no avail, hurriedly pulling up the menu again and disappearing behind it.

Smirking, Santana flicked the back of the menu, relishing in the startled shriek of the brunette.

"S, I thought your middle name was Maria." Brittany asked, confused.

"Shhh, B. Not now." The Latina soothed the blonde before snatching the arm of the nearest waiter. "Fish and chips. Tell your chef that he needs to make them right this very second."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm not in charge of your table, but I'll grab your server and-" The man stated politely.

"Fish. Chips. Now." Santana interrupted, eyes fixed on her newly manicured nails.

"I- I don't think that's on the menu, ma'am. We do have a wonderful grilled salmon that you can-" The waiter started, blatantly frightened by the outspoken woman.

"Are you not listening to me?" The Latina demanded, taking a hold of the man's collar.

"I a-am, ma'am." The server stammered.

"Get the damn cook. Tell him to take some fish. Drop it in some fucking egg wash, then some flour, and then in a pot of oil. Then tell him to take a fucking potato- you do have a fucking potato, don't you…._**Joseph?**_" Santana asked casually, eyes flashing and grip tightening on the collar.

"Y-yes. We have potatoes."

"Wonderful. Cut those potatoes. And drop those little fuckers into a different pot of oil. Not too hard, is it? Now get your ass moving. I'm timing you." Santana finished, releasing the frightened man and leaning back in her chair. "There you go, Brit. Fish and chips, special order, just for you."

Brittany smiled sweetly at the Latina, reaching over and taking her left hand, fingers playing with the ring glinting in the light. Santana's eyes fluttered closed for a brief second and turned to kiss the blonde on the top of her head, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I don't know whether to fear for my life or find that entire exchange endearing." Rachel whispered from behind her menu.

"Santana's just got a different way of showing she cares." Quinn whispered back.

"She's got quite the mouth on her, huh?" Rachel continued, snickering.

Suddenly, the menu disappeared from in front of her and Santana was smirking dangerously at her. "Yes. I've got quite the fucking mouth on me."

"I think it's hot." Brittany piped up.

"Oh, boy." Quinn muttered, leaning to mumble in her girlfriend's ear. "Twenty bucks says they end up doing it in the restaurant."

"You mean sexual intercomph-"

"Volume, Rach. Watch the volume." Quinn muttered, eying the volatile Latina across from her who was keeping a close eye on her watch.

The remainder of dinner passed by rather quickly, the couples getting along quite well. Sometime after dinner and before dessert arrived, Santana politely demanded that Brittany accompany her to the women's restroom.

After five minutes had gone by, Quinn rolled her eyes. "You owe me twenty bucks."

"Well, more power to them for getting a head start on burning this off." Rachel grumbled, hands resting over her full stomach.

Smirking, Quinn leaned back, dropping her head onto the shorter brunette's shoulder. "So how'd the audition go? Any idea on whether you got the part?"

Rachel's jaw clenched briefly and Quinn sprung into action. "Oh, baby. You'll get the next part. Don't worry too much about it, okay? Did you get any part at all this time?"

The other girl shook her head. "I got called back for the main role."

"Rachel, that's great news!"

"Not really, Quinn. There's about four other girls who have been called back for the same role." Tightening up again, Rachel muttered. "I really thought I had this part. After everything I've done, I really did."

Stroking the actresses' arm, Quinn sighed. "This is a cutthroat business, Rach. We've got to work hard to get on top. Listen, I was wondering…"

"You can't come to an audition, Quinn."

"Why the hell not?" The blonde exclaimed. "For God's sake, I'm not asking you to let me move in. I'm asking you to let me come to an audition of yours."

Reaching over, Rachel gripped Quinn's wrist. "Can you keep it down? You're making a scene."

The musician rolled her eyes, pulling away her wrist and whispering angrily. "I'm trying to be sweet, Rachel. Sweet and supportive like good girlfriends are! What is going on at those auditions that you don't want me to see?"

"Nothing!"

"Then let me come." Quinn demanded, eyes flashing. "I've got Kirsten asking me if you're fucking people to get to the top!"

"Is that it? You want to come to this audition just so you can make sure I'm not using my body to get ahead?" Rachel accused, her voice raising an octave.

"No!" Quinn denied. "I want to come so I can say stupid things about me being your good luck charm when you get the damn part!"

Rachel quieted and Quinn leaned back, folding her arms over her chest.

A few moments passed, the tension thick enough to stifle the air around the two women. The waiter Santana had terrorized hurried over to the table, bringing along two large sundaes. "Here you go. Please tell Miss Lopez that this is the fastest we've ever managed to make any of the items ordered."

Quinn nodded at the waiter, "I'll be sure to let her know."

"You can come." Rachel admitted, rather quietly.

"I don't want to be there if you don't want me to be there." Quinn replied, looking anywhere but at the brunette.

"I want you to come, Quinn." The brunette exhaled, brow furrowed as she attempted to word her thoughts. "It's just that, the atmosphere there is certainly more different than the one you're used to."

"I don't care."

"Alright, okay." Rachel tried to appease her. "I'll need to get there earlier, but if you'd like to come around three thirty, the auditions will begin."

Quinn took in a deep breath, dropping her arms and nodding tiredly. "I just want to be there for you."

Lacing the blonde's fingers with hers, Rachel smiled. "I know."

"Oh look, S! Ice cream!" Brittany squealed, pulling the lawyer to the table excitedly.

"Where's the waiter?" Santana asked. "The ice cream's half melted."

"San, you were inside fooling around. Leave the poor guy alone." Quinn muttered, taking a spoonful of the ice cream in front of her. "Mmmm. Walnuts."

Dessert was finished along with laughs and sweet touches. Santana grabbed the bill, glaring at anyone who made an attempt to even look at the check. After the waiter came back with her card, Santana slipped in a crisp fifty dollar bill, though she vehemently denied that it was nothing more than a five.

Quinn watched as Brittany oversaw the exchange approvingly, leaning in to give her fiancée a soft kiss and smiling adoringly at her.

"Q, can you take us home? We should get to the hotel because Brittany has to go to the audition tomorrow afternoon."

"And because Santana wants to go through round two." The dancer piped up. Groaning, Santana dragged her fiancée out of the restaurant, muttering something about not getting enough privacy.

Outside, Quinn kissed Rachel softly. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. Three thirty." The brunette agreed.

"I wouldn't be late for the world," Quinn admitted, smiling down at the girl.

Leaning in for another kiss, Rachel quipped. "Don't be early either."

Quinn cut off someone, shoving her hand out the window and apologizing. Glancing at the time, the blonde sighed, knowing full well that she was really pushing the whole punctual thing.

At exactly 3:27, Quinn's old truck dragged itself into the parking lot and screeched to a halt. Never minding the crookedness of her parking, the blonde exploded out of the car, speed walking to the entrance of the theatre.

Not even two steps inside of the theatre, Quinn ran into a warm body, ending up on the floor. Preparing to rip into the person, the blonde sneered up at the woman until she realized who she had bumped into.

"Rachel! I'm so sorry." Quinn began, rushing to her feet. The brunette wiped her mouth before holding a hand down to help the other girl up.

"It's okay. I wasn't looking where I was going, either." Rachel admitted, moving aside as another man came out of the same door she had burst through, nodding at the women as he adjusted his belt and called out.

"You all have the order of the auditions and three minutes apiece to prove to me and everyone else here that you deserve this role. First one up, get on stage and start. I don't have time to waste!" He finished, taking his seat and pulling out a pen for his clipboard.

Quinn arched her eyebrows and leaned over towards Rachel. "He's kind of hot."

The director was a tall and exceptionally well built man. His hair was well intact and sprinkled with grays that only managed to make him appear to be more wise and prestigious. He had an air about him that acted as a repellant and Quinn wondered if he had ever smiled before.

"And kind of scary." The blonde added to her girlfriend as an afterthought.

The other three women auditioning had astonished the blonde who had mustered enough strength to keep a straight unimpressed facial expression throughout the entire audition. She didn't want Rachel to psyche herself out. Glancing at her girlfriend wringing her hands, the musician frowned to herself. Rachel was the fourth and final actress to go up and even from her seat in the far back, Quinn could see that the young woman was fighting off nerves.

She began the scene with some dialogue, running through the lines with a stand in for her love interest. At the nod of the director, the brunette sprung into song, her voice carrying to Quinn's seat effortlessly.

Sitting up straight, the blonde's eyes widened as she watched Rachel put her heart and soul in to the song. She only managed to get three lines in when she was cut off by the director.

"Yes, thank you. That's enough, Miss-"Pausing to check the clipboard, he clicked his tongue. "Berry. I suppose I should have remembered that."

"Yes sir." Rachel blushed, hurrying off the stage.

The director stood, taking a look at his watch. "The results of today's auditions will be up this time tomorrow afternoon. I do not expect any calls about the results. What I decide is what I decide and I will not be making any changes. Good luck, but don't expect that to help you women too much either. Please exit the theatre in the next five minutes, I do have other appointments and I cannot wait all day long for you."

Quinn stood up as Rachel approached her, holding out her hand and smiling at her. "How do you think you did?"

The actress squeezed her hand, a smug look on her face. "As a matter of fact, I don't see any possibility of me not getting this role."

**Author's Note: Leave your thoughts! :)**


	5. Uncharted

Unfortunately, there had been a very likely possibility of Rachel not getting the role. Quinn had been there when she had gotten the phone call. They were lounging on one of the couches at the coffee shop on a slow day, Quinn's head in Rachel's lap. The actress who had received the role had called up Rachel in a frenzy of excitement, her voice rushed and high pitched. Quinn smiled as Rachel rolled her eyes at her phone and talked animatedly with the girl.

"Well, that's great, Nikki. It's always better to audition for more than one role at a time." Rachel's hand stilled in Quinn's hair, her face contorting into a frown as she became more confuse and her tone more clipped. "What do you mean, you didn't? Exactly which role did you just receive, Nicolette?" The blonde furrowed her eyebrows and nudged the brunette, trying to piece the information together. When she got no response, Quinn turned her attention to the designs in the rug nearby, following the patterns with the tip of her finger and just enjoyed her girlfriend's company.

The muscles in Rachel's legs tensed, and Quinn tilted her head up to watch Rachel's features, worried that something had happened. "I see. I must extend my congratulations to you. Yes, I do mean it. It's a fantastic role and I'm sure you'll try to do the character justice, just- do try to refrain from being so sharp on those high notes."

Shutting the phone, Rachel took a deep breath, pasting a smile on her face and turning to the small audience. "I'm sorry to inform you that I did not receive the role and I must excuse myself. I have much to prepare for if I want to be ready for the next audition.

"I'm sorry, Rach." Quinn offered, reaching up and touching the brunette's cheek.

"It's alright, Quinn. It's something that comes with being a part of an actress. I'll call you later tonight, okay?" Rachel said softly, sliding out from underneath Quinn and giving Kirsten a small wave as she headed out to her car.

"What's got her so down?" Kirsten asked, wiping a mug dry.

Sighing, Quinn gave Kirsten a sad smile. "She didn't get the part. Again."

"Damn. Poor kid."

"Yeah." Quinn sighed. "I have a feeling she really needed this."

* * *

A week later found Rachel in the corner of the coffee shop, staring outside quiet and unmoving. Quinn expected her to rant and for a while, maybe sabotage the actress who had usurped her role. But Rachel had just stayed quiet. She called when she said she would. She went out with Quinn to movies, dinners, came by for coffee. But she seemed to withdraw into herself and it worried the blonde. Her smile didn't reach her eyes and she seemed to be preoccupied with something at all times.

The musician watched from the bar as people milled in and out of the café, the brunette left alone in the corner. An older man walked in and Quinn watched as he noticed the brunette, recognition coloring his features. "Rachel? Rachel Berry?"

The actress turned to the voice and smiled politely, standing up to shake the old man's hand. "Hello, sir. I must apologize for nor recognizing you."

The old man smiled widely, patting the brunette on the shoulder roughly. "That's because you're seeing me for the first time. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Berry. My daughter, Nicolette, she's told me all about you. I never thought that I'd run into you, especially because of the auditions being over." He leaned closer, a smile on his lips. "Even Nikki thought you had the part in your grips. Poor girl was fretting over the auditions like-"

From behind the counter, Quinn watched with interest as Rachel cleared her throat and smiled tightly at the man. "Excuse me, sir, for being so frank, but your daughter did not deserve that role. She believed that I had that part because I did. I did everything in my power to ensure that I would indeed get the role and it's a complete and utter travesty that it went to a tone-deaf screeching feline." Turning on her heel, Rachel walked a few steps away before whirling on him again. "Also, pass along a message for me. Let her know that she looks nothing like Jennifer and that her acting will cause the writer to turn over in his grave."

Quinn stood shocked as she watched the exchange and didn't notice Jimmy coming up behind her, his voice filling her ear. "Get her out of here, Quinnie. She's scaring the customers." He nudged the blonde towards the loud actress, pleading. "Take the rest of the day off and please, get her away from my store."

Nodding, Quinn moved swiftly over towards Rachel and took her by the arm, muttering softly. "Come on, Rach. Time to go." She turned around to mouth an apology to the man, gesturing to Jimmy to tend to him as she led Rachel out. The brunette struggled against her girlfriend's hold, eyes blazing as she mouthed threats at the frightened old man accompanying them with a violent choking gesture.

Quinn guided Rachel to her truck, helping her into the passenger seat before getting into the car herself. It seemed as if all the anger, all the disappointment and hurt Rachel had felt, that Quinn _**knew**_ Rachel was feeling had been internalized, until now. Now, everything was just tumbling out and there was nothing to do but to confront it.

Looking over at the brunette, she sighed bitterly at the girl who just stared intently ahead, hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Rachel…what was that in there?"

Rather than answering, Rachel just turned her head to the side, watching a leaf fall gracefully to the pavement. "Why is it that I don't know anything about your past?"

Eyebrows furrowing, Quinn shook her head. "What do you mean?"

Rachel straightened, her eyes closed in concentration and her forehead wrinkled. The blonde reached out to smooth the lines away before thinking it better to keep to herself. "What I mean, Quinn, is that I know nothing about you. You came from Ohio. You know Santana and Brittany from high school. You work at a café. You're a singer."

"But-"

"But you are also my girlfriend, Quinn. You're my girlfriend and I have a right to knowing who you are, who I'm falling for." Rachel finished softly.

"You know me, Rachel."

Shaking her head, the shorter girl sighed. "I'm just not good enough, am I? For anyone."

"Hey, hey, hey…" Quinn started, reaching for Rachel's hand. She tried not to wince when the other girl pulled way. "Who said that you weren't good enough?"

"I did and frankly, I'm correct in saying so. I try to be the perfect girlfriend for you. I try to be the perfect actress for Broadway. I try to do everything right and no matter what; I can't ever seem to get it right."

The brunette continued to stare intently at her until her bottom lip began to quiver uncontrollably. The teary eyes, the red nose, the contorted face; Quinn had never seen such a heartbreaking sight.

Quinn felt tears pricking at the sight of her girlfriend. She knew deep inside that Rachel deserved that spot but sometimes things just didn't work out the way that people wanted them too. "Rach…-"

"Please, don't. I can't stand having to listen to the speech where I'm told that things don't always work out. You have no idea how much work I put into this role and honestly, I can't tell you how sick I am of people telling me that I'll get it next time. I just want to- ugh- I want them to put a sock in it!" Rachel muttered angrily, rolling her eyes at the blonde.

"Honestly, Rachel, you have to grow up a little bit! You knew that this came with the job when you decided to start acting. People are going to tell you no and you'll just have to take in stride. You're a grown-up dignified woman, right?" Quinn asked, goading her girlfriend. "Riiiiiiight?"

"Shut up, Quinn. It's because of my nose, isn't it? I'm not pretty with a nose the size of a grapefruit." Rachel attempted to glare down at the offensive body part and poked it repeatedly, only resulting in appearing cross-eyed while muttering to herself. "Stupid nose. Why'd you have to go and be so big and stupid and fat and ugly and-"

Laughing, Quinn reached up and gently took a hold of her wrists. "Stop that, Rach. You look crazy and you sort of are. You are possibly the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen in my entire life. I don't know why you would ever think otherwise. Besides, with that voice? Broadway isn't the matter of if, but a matter of when. "

"I know, okay. _**I know.**_ It's just hard putting in all this effort for something that you want so badly and than having some asshat tell you that you can't have it. It hurts because it's something that means the whole world to you, something you've dreamed about ever since you were a little kid, something that-" She breaks away, her voice cracking with emotion. "Something that you're not sure you can survive without in your life."

"Rachel," Quinn started, reaching over to turn the brunette's face towards her. "You are more than enough good enough for me. Whatever happens, I'll be here for you."

Her eyes fluttered open, a fiery gaze crashing into Quinn's adoring one. Rachel reached out, nodding slightly before pulling the blonde's mouth closer to her lips. "Could you prove it to me, Quinn? Prove that I'm good enough, that I'm beautiful."

Swallowing hard, Quinn pressed a soft kiss to Rachel's mouth and gunned the engine of her truck. "Let's go back to your place."

* * *

Her back collided against the wall, the corner of a frame cutting into her shoulder. Quinn mumbled an expletive against Rachel's lips, leaning down to grab the back of her thighs and tug the brunette up. The shorter girl easily hopped up, wrapping her lean legs around the blonde's waist and meeting her lips again. Gazing down at Quinn's adoring smile and bruised lips, Rachel swallowed hard as she slowly slipped down until her feet were once more on the floor.

She leaned in slowly, slipping her tongue inside the blonde's mouth, teasing her tongue with her own. They stayed like that for a few minutes longer, hands drifting along of their own accord, lips melded together. Every so often, one of the girls would let out a content sigh or a moan at the other's ministrations. Rachel broke the kiss, her eyes darkened and drunk with desire as she slowly unbuttoned Quinn's top, sliding it down the lean arms. She reached down, taking a deep breath before pulling the hem of her shirt up and over her own head. She stood unabashed, drinking in the breathtaking blonde smiling shyly at her.

Rachel's eyes raked over Quinn's exposed torso, her eyes halting over the bra-clad breasts. Her tongue darted out and hazel eyes snapped to the small movement. Both girls could feel the change in the atmosphere. Hardly a second of time passed before the two women were pressing up against each other again, hands exploring the freshly exposed skin. Quinn pulled away, her head dropping back as she gulped in mouthfuls of air.

Rachel, however, had more than enough oxygen at the moment and was busy leaving open mouthed kisses along the taller girl's collarbone while undoing the blonde's bra. Quinn opened her mouth to protest, worried that they were progressing into dangerous territory, but her words died in her throat by the time Rachel's hands made their way to Quinn's breasts. She kneaded them expertly, fingers pulling and twisting the nipples as her mouth kept dropping lower and lower.

Quinn reached up, intent on stopping the brunette but could only find herself fisting the dark locks of hair when Rachel's tongue began to circle a hard pink bud. The blonde used to be a cheerleader, priding herself on having quite a set of legs, strong and lean, but the moment that Rachel enveloped Quinn's nipple in her hot wet mouth taught Quinn that her knees could get pretty wobbly and weak. Reaching out behind her, the blonde groped the wall for some sort of purchase to help her stay on her feet. Thanking God when she found that she could grip the mantle over a small fireplace, Quinn's hand returned to the back of Rachel's head, holding the girl in place.

"Fuck, Rach…you have no idea how good that feels." She breathed out, pressing her lips firmly against the brunette's.

Rachel did away with her bra and reached for the blonde, grinning wickedly as she traced her tongue along Quinn's bottom lip. "So show me."

Willing herself to stay calm, the older girl was aghast when her fingers danced along the actress's stomach, splaying over her right breast. She opened her mouth, once more to tell Rachel that they really needed to slow down, but found herself leaning down and pulling a chocolate colored hardened peak into her mouth, her tongue swirling and her teeth nipping gently at the sensitive skin.

"Bed, Quinn, please." Rachel pleaded, her hands dragging over each inch of her girlfriend's body, bringing her in for another kiss, one that was anything but chaste, rather exploding with desire and a sense of urgency.

Quinn pulled away, but not without a loud disappointed groan from Rachel, who tried to follow her girlfriend's lips. "Wait, Rach, baby. Don't you think we're moving too fast?"

"Nope." Rachel's reply was short, her lips already moving against Quinn's as she backed them down the hallway of her apartment.

The back of the singer's knees hit the queen sized bed and the two girls fell together.

Her body was throbbing underneath the lithe girl and she knew that she needed release. She also knew that she needed to leave before things got any more out of hand. Gripping the blonde's naked waist, Rachel guided her further up on the bed before settling a knee on either sides of her hips and grinding down.

Quinn had no way of stopping the moan that ripped through her throat. Rachel's body stilled completely and the blonde mentally kicked herself for letting herself get that vocal.

But then Rachel's lips pressed against the shell of her ear, her tongue darting out for a brief second, voice breathy and deep as it resonated in the silent room. "That is **SO** hot."

Unable to think straight, Quinn let out a shaky breath only to have it catch in her throat when Rachel took to her neck, worrying the sensitive skin there with her teeth, her hips pressing down in a steady firm rhythm.

Determined to push the brunette off of her, Quinn reaches up to take hold of her girlfriend's hips, only to find that she was unable to do anything else but help establish a steadier rhythm.

"God, Quinn. I can't wait to take you…" Rachel whispered softly, her lips just millimeters from Quinn's.

The blonde could do nothing more than nod for a few seconds until the realization of what was happening hit her. With strength that she didn't know she possessed, Quinn flipped the girl off of her and stood, holding a hand out towards Rachel. "Just hold off a second, Rachel. We're moving way too fast here."

Confusion was written all over the brunette's features and as Quinn's gaze sought out the swollen lips, she wanted nothing more than to be kissing them again. "Quinn, I don't understand what's going- oh. Oh. OH! Oh my God, Quinn! I am so sorry."

"It's oka-wait. What're you apologizing for?" Quinn asked, now confused herself.

"It's alright, Quinn. It's nothing to be ashamed about. I'm sure there are many virgins out there your age, granted, for the majority, it's likely not their choice but still, I'm sorry for rushing you into sexual intercourse. It would have been much better for the both of us if you had just been honest with me from the start, baby. However, I do have a sexual appetite that would-"

As the words sunk in, Quinn's face blanched and she vehemently shook her head. "No! No, no, no, no, no, no. NO! I am not a virgin, Rachel!"

Put off, the brunette jutted her hip out, resting a hand on it and raising an eyebrow. "Well, then why are we not, as other put it, 'doing the naughty-naughty'?"

Groaning, Quinn threw her hands up, more than a little exasperated. "First things first, Rach: It's the 'dirty-dirty' not the 'naughty-naughty' and second; I just thought we were moving too fast."

Rachel licked her lips, eyes still darkened with want as she stepped closer. Circling the blonde, the actress eyed her predatorily. "You've had sex before, right?"

Quinn hesitated, quirking up an eyebrow as she eyed the other girl. "Yes."

"And Lord knows I've had sex."

The blonde scoffed, crossing her arms and tapping her foot, not amused in the slightest by Rachel's tone.

"And we are both adults, correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"Would you like to have sex, Quinn?"

Pausing, Quinn pondered her answer. She knew what she wanted and she was fine with moving at this pace. Her protest had honestly been borne from concern for Rachel. It also might have had to do with the fact that Quinn had been having a small dry spell. "I would."

"So let's review what we've established now. You have had sex before. I have had sex before. This is not a new experience for either of us. You want to have sex. I want to have sex. We both are mature adults with no parents outside just waiting to catch us in a compromising position so that we could be grounded and submitted to their will for an unspecified duration of time. Am I right?"

Letting out a long sigh, Quinn shook her head at her girlfriend's antics. "Rachel?"

"Oh, I'm not finished yet, Quinn. Please hold all questions for the end of my-"

"Rachel."

Annoyed, Rachel glared at the taller girl. "What is it?"

"Come here."

Shuffling over, Rachel kept her glare intact and repeated herself. "What do you want, Quinn?"

The blonde bit her lip, her body already reacting to having the shorter girl in close proximity again. "Take me, Rach. I need you."

She swore that she heard Rachel whimper but had no time to question it, what with the slender fingers fisting her hair and lips pressed firmly against hers. They moved almost immediately to the bed and Quinn quickly did away with Rachel's jeans, running her hands appreciatively over the long tanned legs.

"God, Rach…I love your legs."

Letting her hands cup her ass, Quinn gently squeezed, eyes clenching shut when Rachel arched her body into hers. "Quinn, take off your pants."

"What?" The blonde mumbled, unable to take her lips off of her girlfriend.

Rachel flipped her over, expertly undoing the button on the jeans and jerking them down, growling against the blonde's skin. "Take them off."

With the pants out of the way, Quinn took advantage of Rachel's position and very nearly ripped the panties off of the girl. The brunette opened her mouth to try admonishing Quinn, instead letting out a moan at the feel of a single slender finger delving deep inside her. "Wow. No foreplay, I can deal with that." She panted, clutching at Quinn's shoulders.

"Our whole relationship has been foreplay, Rach. Just be thankful I'm not teasing you." Quinn groaned, angling herself so that she could add a second finger and thrust deeper. Rachel arched up, her head dropping back and eyes fluttering closed.

Quinn continued her rhythm, pressing her lips against any and all of the accessible skin. She alternated between nipping and swiping a smooth tongue over her body, using her free hand to manipulate the actress's breast. Feeling the clench of her girlfriend's muscles, Quinn kissed her way down Rachel's body, peppering the skin with soft wet kisses.

The blonde gently nudged the other girl's legs open, pulling her hand away so that she could get a clear view of what lay just beyond those seductively short skirts the brunette was always sporting. She let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding as bit her lip in anticipation.

Rachel began to wriggle underneath the intense hazel gaze, letting a soft whine escape into the room. The small noise was enough to cause the blonde to spring into action, tongue running deftly along the entrance. The gasp that Quinn heard was possibly the most amazing thing in the world.

Alternating between broad strokes along the length of the core and rapid flicking against the small hardened bud, Quinn enticed the brunette to unleash an animalistic moan. Rustling above her caught her attention and she glanced up to find Rachel fisting the sheets, eyes clenched, and mouth open in a silent scream.

The blonde worked to bring her to the edge once again, entering her with two long fingers and curling them deep inside her. Rachel arched up off the bed completely, her head thrown back in mid air and her hands finding purchase on Quinn's shoulders. Her short nails dug into the blonde's skin as the muscles contracting around Quinn's fingers clenched hard, trapping the girl there.

The singer kept her fingers moving, every so often letting her tongue dart out against the sensitive clit and drawing out the girl's climax. Quinn heard the soft _thud_ as Rachel's hold loosened on her shoulders and she collapsed on the bed. The blonde was able to maneuver herself back up to where Rachel was waiting in an ecstasy-induced coma.

Brushing the hair out of her face, Quinn grinned at the brunette. "Well that was fun."

Nodding jerkily, Rachel threw an arm haphazardly over Quinn's waist, pulling the girl against her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow. Feeling a consistent jab in her side, the singer opened her eyes to find a gorgeous pair of chocolate orbs looking playfully back at her.

"So can I touch you now or do I have to go through that "Adults-Have-Sex-Speech" again?"

Quinn tapped her chin thoughtfully, keeping a serious face as she retorted. "I think I'm going to need another run through, baby."

Rachel accepted the answer, climbing on top of the waiting blonde. "Well, you've had sex, I've had sex, we've had sex-" She stopped to press a number of kisses on the blonde's skin, before continuing on. "I like sex, you like sex."

"Oh my- fuck!" Quinn exclaimed, finding herself suddenly full of Rachel Berry.

"Basically, the whole speech boils down to me making you come, okay?" Rachel finished, nipping at the blonde's neck and thrusting her fingers deep inside to accentuate her point.

"O-Okay." The singer stuttered, bursting into laughter at the sight of her girlfriend, eyes clenched tight and tongue peeking out of the corner.

Rachel opened her eyes to glare at her girlfriend, "What?"

"What's up with that face, Rach?" Quinn wheezed out between giggles.

"I was concentrating!" Rachel exclaimed, a pout set firmly on her face.

Her laughter dying down, Quinn pulled the girl in for a kiss. "Okay, baby. Do what you want."

"Fantastic. Now let's get started shall we? I intend on making use of this day off."

Quinn's moan gave way to a giggle but when Rachel curled her fingers and twisted, she hit notes that would put any Broadway singer to shame.

* * *

Rachel stabbed her salad, impaling a piece of carrot and lettuce onto her fork and smiling at the people around her. "I want to play a game."

Santana's eyebrows furrowed as she looked between Quinn and Rachel. "Q, I know that your girlfriend has the stature of a five year old but she is aware that she is not actually five, right?"

Brittany, whose face had lit up at the mention of a game, turned to Santana with a pout and saddened eyes. "S, you don't even know what the game is!"

"Yeah!" Rachel agreed, nodding at Brittany. "It's a hypothetical question game."

Quinn frowned, chewing thoughtfully on her burger. "So like, What If or Would You Rather?"

At Rachel's nod, Santana rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath. "Ay dios mio. I am not playing a two year olds' game."

"Santana! Just one round!" Brittany admonished, dipping a french fry into her milkshake and popping it into her mouth as her fiancée watched in disgust.

"I don't know why you do that, Britt. It ruins both the milk shake and the fries. You're ruining two good things!"

"It's sweet and salty, S. Just like us." The blonde dancer said as if it was the most simplest thing in the world before turning to Rachel. "I want to go first. What would you do if aliens took over your dog? Would you take him to NASA or keep him?"

Santana dropped her head on the table as Quinn answered, "I would keep him. I think it would be pretty cool having an outer space dog."

Rachel disagreed, immediately chiming in. "Absolutely not. I would report him to NASA and have him sent as soon as possible to that hidden away area for aliens and Bigfoot."

Brittany nodded at both of the answers, before turning to Santana. "S?"

"I'm not playing, Brittany." Santana replied, snatching up one of the girl's fries, her own long gone.

"Party pooper."

Quinn tapped the table, "Oh! I have one. What would you do if you found out your girlfriend-"

"Fiancée."

"Or fiancée- had a penis?" The blonde corrected, looking around at the other three girls.

Brittany made a face, turning towards Santana. "I don't like those anymore. I'm good with the sweet lady parts."

"Well, that might actually come in handy. It'd definitely make for an interesting experience." Rachel admitted.

"I think it'd be hot if it wasn't permanent." Santana inputted.

Quinn raised an eyebrow in her direction. "I thought you weren't playing this game, S."

Shrugging, the Latina took a sip from her drink. "What can I say, Q? You came up with a pretty good question."

The singer rolled her eyes at the young lawyer before turning to her girlfriend. "What about you, Rach?"

Muttering to herself, Rachel tapped her fork against the glass. "Let's get a little bit more serious. What if you had the chance to reach your career goal right there in front of you and you could stop it from slipping through your fingers?"

"I'd take it."

"Take it."

"Grab it and run."

Rachel raised a finger up at the simultaneous answer. "There's a condition. You have to have sex with the big boss in charge."

The actress watched as Brittany's face contorted into a frown, Santana's into uncertainty, and Quinn's into disgust.

"Absolutely not." The barista said. "That's disgusting and unprofessional."

Brittany agreed, joining in with Quinn. "Yeah. It's like getting what you want but making it all dirty first."

"Well…" Santana started, hesitantly.

Quinn's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Well? Well, what, S?"

Brittany's frown became more pronounced as she turned towards her fiancée. "What do you mean, San?"

"I just think that if it's a one-time thing, then maybe it's not such a bad thing." The Latina paused, watching the wheels turning in Brittany's head. "B, no. Not you. You are going to get there without anyone's help, except mine. I don't want you to get any ideas and go fucking the director you're working with."

"He's creepy." Brittany added, agreeing. "He keeps looking at me like he's going to eat me."

Quinn and Santana broke out into soft chuckles, the tension on the table broken. Quinn reached over to her still silent girlfriend and took her hand, squeezing gently and making a mental note to talk to her soon.

Rachel sat on the bench, waiting for Quinn to return with their coffees. Seeing the blonde make her way back, the actress moved over to make room and smiled gratefully as she drank heartily from the cup handed to her.

"This is so good, Quinn." She praised, linking arms with her girlfriend and turning to watch the sunset behind the hills.

"I'm a barista and a starving musician, it would be illegal for me to _**not**_ know where all the best coffee joints are." The blonde teased, nudging the girl playfully.

They sat in silence for a wall, watching the sky explode into an array of colors, mixing gold with red, yellow with orange. It was as if someone had taken a painting and put it up on display for everyone to see.

Rachel turned when Quinn cleared her throat rather pointedly, eyebrows up and gaze questioning. "I had something to ask you, Rachel."

Laughing softly, the brunette turned back towards the setting sun and brought the coffee up for another sip. "Clearly, love. Ask away, I'm all ears."

Quinn looked down at her cup, playing with the lid as she formulated her thoughts. "It's about earlier today. When you asked about getting ahead."

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd ask me."

"I'm not insecure, Rachel. I just- well, it occurred to me earlier that this is the second time that this has come up for you and I. Is there something you need to tell me? I swear I won't judge you for anything you've done in the past." Quinn offered, sincerely.

Scoffing, Rachel allowed a cynical smirk to play at her lips. "This coming from the girl who won't tell me anything about her own past. You do realize that I've never even been to your apartment? Not only do now know anything about who you were before I met you, I don't know quite a bit of who you are now."

Quinn had the decency to drop her head in shame, listening as Rachel continued. "To answer your question, I haven't had sex with anyone to further my career."

The blonde let out a sigh of relief, lifting her gaze up from her knees to the girl sitting beside her. She let her gaze rake over the pursed lips, furrowed brow, and worried eyes.

"Rach? Is there something you're not telling me?" Quinn ventured.

"I haven't had sex with any of them, Quinn." Rachel repeated, hesitating for a second before going on. "But it doesn't mean that I haven't thought about it. There are some powerful people in this industry and they know that a single role in their musical can get the right attention from the right people. Those people can then take you all the way to the top. Sometimes I think it would be so easy, to just give in and let them have this one thing. Let them have me for one night so that I can have my dream for the rest of my life. It's getting harder to believe in myself. Each rejection is another shot at my confidence. You know how that is, Quinn. Auditioning and being so sure that you absolutely nailed it only to find out that you not only didn't get it but that they didn't even think you were good enough for a call back."

Putting an arm around the brunette, Quinn tugged her closer. "It's hard, baby. But you have to remember to be strong. Those guys have the power to get you to the top but by letting them take you there, you're undermining your own talent. You're letting them taint your ability and you will never be able to believe in yourself. You'll always second guess yourself wondering if it was your talent or your body that got you where you were. It's a place no one would want to be in."

Rachel stayed quiet and Quinn sighed, worrying about the stress that the poor girl must be under. Changing tactics, the blonde tackled a different topic. "I'm not very wealthy, Rach. You told me that your dads do help you, but my parents don't do that. They don't even talk to me." She added bitterly before shaking her head and getting back on track. "My apartment is small. I don't have nice stuff. As for my past? I've made plenty of mistakes. Someday, I want to be able to tell you but today is not that day, so I'm going to need you to be patient for me. I'll work on opening up to you if you work on staying strong at work and keeping your confidence up, okay?"

Shaking her head disapprovingly, Rachel bumped her shoulder against Quinn's. "You should know that I wouldn't care about something like that."

"I know. It's just an issue of pride for me. I was born and raised with that sort of mentality. It's kind of hard to completely rid yourself of it."

Smiling sadly, Rachel nodded and laced her fingers with the blonde. "I know. Come back to my place?"

Quinn nodded, standing up and pulling the shorter girl up with her. Together, they made their way to Rachel's car. The blonde leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, smiling widely. "Follow me, okay?"

"Simply because I'm having a minor breakdown, Quinn, does not mean that I have forgotten the way to my house." Rachel snapped, slightly annoyed at the presumption.

Laughing, Quinn leaned in for another kiss. "I know, Rach. But we're going to go back to my place, tonight. I think it's about time you saw where I live."

**Review please. I love hearing from you guys.**


	6. Wide Awake

**A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait. I assure you, I'm working around the clock to get this story and a very very very long three parter done so I can have that for you guys. I hope you enjoy it and as always, reviews are love.**

**Warning: There is a hetero-dubcon scene near the end of this chapter. It's not too graphic but the subject matter may not be for everyone. It is in the italics and should be easy enough to avoid if you so desire. **

Letting out a long low whine, a sleepy blonde poked her head out from underneath the covers. Quinn reached for the other girl, her eyes half lidded and a small pout on her lips. Finding an empty side, she forced an eye open and confirmed her suspicions. Quinn knew that her place was far from extravagant and wasn't nearly as immaculate as Rachel's had been but she hadn't expected the actress to have bolted early in the morning.

Grumbling unhappily under her breath, Quinn pulled the covers over her head once again, preparing to doze off when she heard the soft clinking of plates and a mouthwatering aroma wafting in from her kitchen. Gingerly peeling back the covers, she padded across her small bedroom, avoiding all areas that creaked and groaned under her weight. Reaching the end of the short hall, Quinn peeked out from behind the corner.

In front of the stove, Quinn found Rachel Berry, dressed an apron that Brittany had handmade for the blonde, flipping pancakes and thumbing through a small leather bound book. Quinn's body tensed as she watched Rachel stop at one of the pages, leaning over and reading it intently. The blonde waited for her response, biting her lip as the actress raised her eyebrows and narrowed her gaze.

Quinn cleared her throat, stepping into the view, a frown playing on her features. "What are you doing with that, Rachel?"

The brunette, who had turned her attention back towards plating the pancakes, was startled by the sudden intrusion of her thoughts. Holding a hand over her heart, she smiled widely at her girlfriend. "Hey, you. I didn't even know you were awake but you've got impeccable timing. Coffee should be ready in a minute and the pancakes just finished."

Quinn's eyes darted between the open book on the counter and Rachel, anxiety clear on her face.

The actress followed Quinn's gaze, eyebrows shooting up when she realized she had been doing something that she shouldn't have been. "That book was private, wasn't it?"

Quinn moved closer to the counter and slid the book towards herself. "It's just something I write in every now and then. No one was ever supposed to look at this."

Rachel dropped her gaze but leaned over and put a hand over the blonde's. "I apologize, then. I understand that it was something I shouldn't have taken the liberty to indulge in but I am glad I did. Quinn, you are amazing! These songs are all originals, I assume. You've got this way with words and I knew you had some talent but this, this is unbelievable."

The singer's face flushed as she pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear and smiled bashfully. "Do you really think so?"

"I do. I'd also really like you to sing to me. Specifically one of these songs."

"I-I don't think they're quite ready, yet." Quinn stuttered, wringing her hands.

Rachel's gaze searched Quinn's features before nodding succinctly and changing the topic seamlessly. "Sit down. The food's getting cold and I have someone to convert to veganism."

Body relaxing immediately, Quinn took her seat at a worn down table, wincing when she noticed the broken chair in the corner. She had purchased the three piece set from an old couple and though it wasn't as sturdy as it had once been, it had always been sufficient enough for the blonde. "Oh, Rach. I'm sorry. That chair just broke one day and I don't have too many people staying over for breakfast and-"

The blonde stopped immediately at the glare her girlfriend sent her way, backtracking and rectifying her slip up. "I mean, friends who come over for meals and I just never really got to fixing it."

Rachel rolled her eyes, putting a plate of warm pancakes down in front of the girl along with some syrup and a mug of coffee. Moving back to the counter to get her own meal, Rachel set her food down next to Quinn's and rested her hands on the blonde's knees and pushed down, humming in approval. "Move your hands, Quinn. I'm going to sit in your lap."

Grinning at the blonde's compliance, Rachel gingerly sat down, draping an arm over her shoulders. "See? This is more than comfy enough."

Quinn shook her head but encircled an arm around the brunette's waist, ensuring that she was safely secured in place.

"Now, these pancakes are vegan so you can rest assured that no animals were killed during the creation of this breakfast."

The blonde froze, her fork halfway to her mouth, and looked over at the shorter girl who was watching intently with excitement. Through her own vegan experience, Quinn recalled a batch of pancakes that had left the blonde clinging to a toilet bowl for dear life. Swallowing hard, she brought the fork closer to her mouth, chewing slowly and deliberately.

Surprisingly, the pancakes didn't taste any different than the normal ones she made herself whenever her budget or her schedule allowed. Rachel, smiling smugly to herself, bit into her own pancakes and reached for the newspaper in the middle of the table.

"So, what're you going to do about auditions, Rach? Are there any more coming up that you can get ready for?" Quinn asked, washing down a mouthful of pancakes with the coffee set out for herself. "Wow, this is great. How did you know how I like my coffee?"

"You're surprisingly simple, Quinn. Two sugars, two creams. It's how half the world takes their coffee." The brunette teased, sipping from her own mug. "And there is actually another audition. Same director, different role. I don't know if I'll try out this time, though. I feel that I need a few mental health days, maybe a week or two. Even a month could do no damage."

Quinn gave the girl a chastising look, shaking her head. "You should try again, Rachel, _**especially**_ if it's the same director. He'll remember you from this past audition and who knows? He may just find that this one fits you better."

Rachel mulled it over a bite of pancake, nodding her head. "I'll think about it, Quinn. I just don't know if I'm prepared enough to go in and be rejected again. Not this soon."

"Rachel, you've got a powerhouse voice and amazing talent. He'll remember you from last time and just this time, drive it a little harder. Maybe go see him before he makes his decision. You're always so forward and unrelenting about every little thing, so why not give it all you got?"At the actress's silence, she goaded her a bit more. "Come on, Rach. If you don't get the next gig, I'll let you take as many mental health days as you want, no questions asked."

The actress shrugged, stretching and looking down on herself. "You need to get another apron, Quinn."

The blonde shook her head at the deflection but found that she couldn't stifle a laugh when the brunette gestured towards the two brightly colored handprints over her breasts. "Brittany made it for me and I have a sneaking suspicion that Santana helped with that particular portion of the apron."

Rachel chuckled softly, standing up and ridding herself of the garment before moving the dirty dishes from the table to the sink. "I'm going to need to take a shower before I leave. I'd like to refrain from smelling like sex when I go in to pick up the script for the audition. I don't plan on doing much more than just winging it but I don't want to appear as a fool up on stage."

Quinn broke out into a proud smile, pulling the brunette back into her lap for a kiss. The sudden addition of weight resulted in one of the legs of the chair to give out. Hazel eyes went wide at the sound of the splitting wood, both girls crying out when the seat collapsed on the floor.

There was a moment of disbelief, two tangled bodies sitting amongst the wreckage of the old chair, before Rachel began to giggle almost uncontrollably. Quinn joined in, her body shaking under the weight of the brunette.

"Ow! Ow! Oh my God, there's a splinter in my ass!" Quinn suddenly cried out, pushing the guffawing brunette off her lap and shooting to her feet. "Fuck, it's in deep, I can feel it."

Rachel, eyes welled up with tears from laughing so hard, crawled over to Quinn, tugging sharply on her pajama bottoms. Ignoring the blonde's cry of pain, she scrutinized the area, her fingers acting as pincers as she clicked her tongue in victory. She pulled the small piece of wood out of her girlfriend's ass, her giggles threatening to return when the blonde yelped in surprise and squirmed away from her.

The actress stood straight, laughing as Quinn rubbed the tender area with a pout on her face. "While you continue to tend to yourself, I'm going to take a shower."

"Wait, I need to take a shower too. I have work in today and you take forever in the shower, Rach. Let me go first." Quinn protested, tugging up her pajamas and moving towards the bathroom.

Eyes narrowing, Rachel scrutinized her girlfriend. "When do you have work?"

"One hour." Quinn shot back.

"Hmm."

"Come on, Rach!" The blonde whined, tapping her foot impatiently.

Rachel leaned over, taking Quinn's hand and leading her towards the shower.

Confused, the blonde let herself be led willingly. "What are you doing, babe? I really don't have time for this."

The actress pushed her girlfriend's back against the bathroom door, scrutinizing gaze increasing ten-fold. "When do you actually have work, Quinn?"

Sighing, the blonde glared at Rachel. "Three hours from now."

"Hmm."

"Oh, come on! What is that supposed to mean?" Quinn exclaimed.

Rachel rolled her eyes, letting her fingers hook in the waistband of the singer's bottoms, and refused to answer.

"Rachel. What. Are. You. Doing?" The blonde spoke slowly, perplexed by her girlfriend's actions and trying to get her attention.

"I'm just adhering to a famous saying, Quinn." Rachel replied sweetly.

"And exactly what famous saying are you referring to, Berry?"

The brunette pulled on the pajama pants she had been fingering, expertly removing both the bottoms and the panties in one fell swoop.

Leaning over to whisper in Quinn's ear, Rachel let a hand trail down towards the apex of the blonde's thighs.

"When in doubt, shower together."

* * *

Quinn slumped into a nearby chair in the backroom, pulling out her phone and thumbing through the messages she had missed. It had been a busy afternoon and she was already exhausted. She smiled at a recent message from Rachel, informing her that she would soon be on her way to the café.

She looked up as Kirsten hurried inside with a tray full of used glassware, seething.

"I fucking hate finals week." Kirsten spat, dumping the tray into a soapy sink. "Stupid fucking kids come in here and order a single coffee and take up all the space and keep asking me to lower the music." Stomping over to the controls for the speakers, Kirsten cranked it up, ignoring the loud protests from the customers and muttering to herself. "Take that, you little fuckers."

Jimmy came out from the front, giving the brunette a chastising look as he lowered the speakers back down. "Behave, Kirstie. I remember a time when you used to hoard up in this shop studying all that nonsense about plant biology."

Groaning, the barista shot back. "I was hot, though. Eye candy makes up for taking up couch space." Turning towards Quinn, Kirsten jerked her head. "Break or lunch, Q?"

"Break." The blonde replied, standing up. "Rach's here. I'll be back in ten minutes, Jimbo."

Quinn skipped out of the backroom, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend. "Hello, beautiful."

Rachel laughed softly, kissing Quinn on her cheek and making her way towards a small vacant table in the corner. The brunette gave her girlfriend a small smile, leaning over and tugging out her script. "How's work been?"

The blonde shrugged, "It's been busy. I guess there's a finals week or something. How did the talk with the director go?"

"He told me exactly what he wanted from me. I'm left to decide whether or not I'll be able to fulfill his expectations from me."

Quinn covered Rachel's hand with her own, "You'll get the part, Rach. Let me help you run the lines."

"No, thank you. When is your lunch?"

"Not for another few hours. I can meet you someplace to eat. I'm sure you won't want to sit here for too long."

"Quinn!" Jimmy called out, gesturing for the blonde to get back to work.

Waving her boss off, Quinn smiled at her girlfriend. "Alright, that won't work. Come in the back. You can practice back there. It'll be a little quieter and maybe I can steal a kiss or two every now and again."

Rachel smiled politely but continued to decline the offer, yet again.

"Kirsten's going on lunch, Rach. As much as she complains about running lines with you, I think she secretly loves it."

"Quinn! Break's been over for five minutes!" Jimmy warned.

Standing up, Quinn leaned over and kissed her softly. "Alright, baby. If you need anything, let me know."

Rachel dropped her gaze to the script and began to flip through the pages, her fingers tracing over the print.

She stayed like that for the next two hours. After fifteen minutes, she dropped the pretense of even flipping the pages, just gazing at script. Rachel refused to even lift her head up, even when one of the students nearly knocked her out of her chair with his oversized backpack. Quinn had been halfway there to teach the young man some manners, but Kirsten took a hold of her and she was left just to watch as the brunette resumed staring at the script, mustering up enough strength to flip the page.

Quinn continued to work behind the register, watching the brunette from the corner of her eyes. She turned to share a look with Jimmy who was watching Rachel with concern and apprehension, as well.

Gesturing her closer, Jimmy whispered. "Quinn, she's not gearing up to blow up again, is she?"

Kirsten leaned into the small huddle, putting her two cents in as well. "She's too quiet. She's just waiting for the next old guy to waltz in here."

Quinn shooed the two away, shooting another worried glance towards Rachel. "I'm going to take my lunch, now."

The blonde hurried to make the actress's unique coffee order and headed her way. Gently setting down the mug, Quinn took a seat next to the day dreaming brunette.

"How're the new lines going?

The brunette was hardly fazed, her eyes moving to meet Quinn's searching gaze. "They're amazing, as always. Another hit, sure to catch the eye of Broadway."

The worried barista frowned at the monotonic tone of her answer, prodding the other girl a bit farther. "Good, good. So…?"

"Shouldn't you be working, Q? It's a little busy in here." Rachel asked, steering the conversation in another direction.

Quinn looked up and around the café, which had settled down significantly with only a few stragglers left here and there. "Uh- sure. I'll go in a half an hour. I'm on lunch right now." Setting a hand on Rachel's forearm, Quinn continued. "Would you like to go out for lunch?"

"I think I'm quite alright." Rachel answered, "I really should be practicing these lines."

Frowning, Quinn sat back in her seats, her arms crossed over her chest. "Look, I know that you said you were going to take it easier on the whole practicing thing, but seriously, Rach. Do you even care about this anymore?"

Rachel's eyes filled with fury, her lips becoming a thin line. "Quinn, I suggest that you get up and leave."

"No." The blonde replied, a flash of defiance and anger in her eyes.

"Fine, I'll go!" Rachel snapped under her breath, closing the script and gathering her things.

"Where are you going, Rach?" Quinn whispered heatedly, grabbing a hold of the brunette's wrist. She noticed Jimmy out of the corner of her eye watching the situation very warily.

"I'm going to talk to the director. I'll show you just how much I care about this damn role." Rachel harshly sighed, tugging her wrist out of the blonde's grip and rushing out of the café.

* * *

Quinn finished wiping the counter down, moving to get a spot in the corner that she had missed. Stepping back, she surveyed her work and when satisfied, she slung the towel over her shoulder and waved as the last customers headed out the door. Surveying the café, the blonde sighed as she took in the destruction that had befallen the small coffee shop. It would take at least two hours to clean up all the littered pieces of paper and the spilt coffee drinks and the chaotic arrangement of tables and chairs. Hearing the clinking of dishes in the back, Quinn cringed again, remembering the large number of mugs and plates just waiting to be cleaned.

She glanced down at her phone and her frown became more pronounced when she saw that she had no messages from the brunette had stormed out of the café hours earlier. Hesitating just a moment, Quinn hit a button and held the phone to her ear as she listened to the monotonous rings. After what seemed like forever, she was forwarded to voicemail and the blonde's heart sank.

"Go and get your little singing leprechaun, Q." A voice sounded off from the backroom.

Jumping slightly, startled out of her thoughts, Quinn immediately moved to refuse Kirsten's offer.

"Seriously, Quinn. I'm going to change my mind in about three seconds because this place is trashed and it's going to take me forever to clean this place up. Besides you're not going to do anything unless you make sure she's okay and the sooner you two make nice, the sooner she can get over here and help clean this place up." Kirsten finished off, handing the other girl her bag and keys. "Don't take more than an hour, though. I'm not letting you completely off the hook."

The blonde smiled widely and hurried out of the door, making her way through the near empty parking lot towards her car. She started her car and while waiting for the engine to warm up, Quinn tried Rachel's phone again.

She drove to the brunette's house first, believing the girl to be ignoring her and simply hiding out underneath her covers. A quick drive by negated this theory and with no other leads, Quinn headed towards the theater that she had met Rachel at before.

She immediately spotted the brunette's unique vehicle as she pulled into the parking lot and pulling alongside the car, Quinn let her body slump in relief. She hadn't wanted to admit it but she had always had a habit of assuming the worst and there had been many instances throughout the day where she had imagined a bruised and broken Rachel Berry and a wrecked car alone in a ditch.

Quinn pulled her jacket around her a little tighter as she moved towards the entrance, glad to see another car parked in the lot. She was comforted by the idea that her girlfriend wasn't hanging out in a deserted theater by herself.

She had felt horrible for pushing the girl away and had watched the clock pass by hour after hour with no return of the exuberant brunette. Running through different apologies in her head, Quinn sighed, both in frustration and exhaustion. The whole day had just gone to hell after Rachel had stormed out and the blonde wanted nothing more than to sink into the girl's arms and sleep. Quinn's muscles had stiffened under the stress of the day and she had been longing for a sweet embrace, a tender kiss, and a good night's rest next to the girl she was coming to care a great deal about.

Smiling softly, Quinn made a mental note to take Rachel to a nice restaurant this weekend and to surprise her with flowers. She had been a godsend in the short time that Quinn had known her, brightening up each day with her grin and desire to take over Broadway with only her talent to her name. The blonde had never been as proud of someone as she was of Rachel, fighting the temptations of the big wigs and putting all she was into the roles. Quinn was certain that with a little more time, the brunette's efforts would come to fruition and in the meanwhile, she'd work a little harder to show Rachel how wonderful she really was.

The door to the building was ajar and the blonde hesitated as she gripped the door knob. She could hear muffled yelling and a small peak inside revealed the director that she had previously seen at the auditions and Rachel at each others' throats on stage.

The blonde most certainly did not condone sneaking around nor did she condone eavesdropping but there was no way that she was going to interrupt the scene in front of her. Slipping inside quietly, Quinn ducked behind one of the nearest seats, taking in the view as the small brunette around the stage.

"You are the most unprofessional man I have met in my entire career." She seethed, practically spitting the words at the bored man standing in front of her. The two seemed to dance around each other, teeth bared, hands thrown up in the air. Quinn would have laughed if the tension in the room wasn't suffocating her.

"And that career is approximately how long?" He tossed out, running a hand through his hair and glaring at the huffing actress.

The pompous director Quinn had met only once rolled his eyes at the brief expression of hurt that flashed across the actress's face. "Oh please, you really think that puppy dog eyes work on a man like me? You and your work are as forgettable as they come. I have standards; expectations of my actors and actresses. Your performance last night was sub-par, Miss- ach! Your name is as forgettable as everything else I've seen about you."

Rachel's eyes steeled and she quirked an eyebrow up at "I don't believe that's what you said when I last performed for you. I remember a remark about going beyond expectations, _sir._"

"That performance was half-assed, Miss Berry, and you and I both know that."

"Oh, now my name comes back to mind." Rachel snapped, poking the man in his chest. "Funny, how it always seems to slip your mind when you need to give me the role that was promised me."

The blonde shook her head from behind the seats, certain that the director hated Rachel and that it was the sole reason she hadn't gotten the role in any of his productions. Though, Quinn had to admit that the brunette could hold her own quite well.

Suddenly, Rachel's bravado seemed to shatter and the girl's eyes welled up and her voice cracked on her words. "Please don't- Greg, that role was mine, please. I earned it. I- I listened to what you asked and I delivered. I- you said that I deserved it."

"And you did. **Until** someone else came by who proved themselves more worthy, Rachel!" He snarled, his voice thundering through the auditorium. "The role that was promised to you went to someone who deserved it more. I told you exactly what it would take to get this next role and now _**you**_ have the choice. Are you going to seize this opportunity? Are you going to take your destiny and make it yours? Are you going to follow through and deliver on what has been asked of you, Rachel Berry?It's your life. It's your decision. What are you going to do?"

His voice echoed through the empty room, and Quinn moved out from the shadows she'd remained hidden, intent on stopping this conversation before it got even more out of hand. She had taken only her second step when Rachel looked up from her feet, her gaze hardening as she took in the tall man in front of her, though even Quinn could see her hands shake briefly before fisting by her sides.

She stepped closer to the director, her voice staying low as she shrugged off her sweater. "I'm going to take it."

* * *

Quinn returned to the café a little less than an hour after she fled the theatre. She shrugged off her coat, throwing it on the couch before moving quietly around the room: straightening crooked chairs, picking up crumpled pieces of paper and empty coffee cups; it had all become second nature to her. The blonde moved around mechanically, now picking up the dirty mugs and plates scattered around the room and placing them gently in to a bin resting on her hip.

The soft crooning of the music in the background was soothing. She could place the song immediately from the small selection the café kept on a loop, and it felt so normal that Quinn could almost cry at the sound.

A sound from the back room pulled the lithe girl from her reverie and she looked up, watching on as Kirsten danced into the room. The brunette was moving sensually to the next track that had began to play, her hips moving dangerously from side to side. Quinn's eyes lingered on the other girl for a moment too long, still unnoticed by the dancing barista.

"Fuck- Jesus, Quinn!" Kirsten exclaimed suddenly, body stilling immediately at the sight of the blonde woman. "How long have you been here?"

Quinn heard the words, but she found it difficult to react appropriately to them. Hazel eyes focused on the collarbones visible from the plaid top the brunette was wearing; following a path forged by a bead of sweat disappearing inside said shirt as a pink tongue darted out to wet a pair of lips that seemed incredibly dry.

The other girl stepped in front of the day dreaming blonde, snapping her fingers twice to get Quinn's attention. "Whatever the fuck you're smoking; go home and sleep it off. After the day I've had, I'm not about to deal with your high ass."

"I'm not high." Quinn responded softly.

"Fine, you're not high. Either help me clean up or get out of the café."

Dropping the bin she was holding, Quinn turned slowly on her heel, not showing the slightest reaction to the loud clattering of dishes.

"What the fuck, Q! Have you gone fucking mental?" Kirsten barked out, moving to crouch down and clean up the newly made mess on the floor. "Where's Rachel, anyway? At least when you're with her, you're not making my job any more difficult."

Quinn shook her head, "She's- um, she's probably still at the theatre."

Quirking an eyebrow, Kirsten looked impressed. "Huh. The munchkin's got the fire back. She keeps it up, and she'll get the next role for sure."

"Trust me, with the work she's putting in, she'll get the next twenty roles."

"You don't look happy." The brunette stated, brow furrowing ever so slightly.

"We're friends, right?"

Snorting, Kirsten quirked up an eyebrow at the other girl. "In your dreams, Fabray."

"Kirst, please." Quinn asked meekly, an entirely new demeanor overtaking the girl, her eyes searching Kirsten's franticly. "If I needed your help with something, could I count on you?"

The brunette straightened up and nodded solemnly. "Yeah, we're friends, Quinnie. I got your back." Pausing, she added as an afterthought. "Unless there's a dead body involved. I don't think I can help you bury it or something."

The blonde shifted her weight from one leg to another and back again, visibly contemplating her next words. Quinn reached out, ensnaring Kirsten's lips with her own. The kiss was brief but with a sort of desperation the blonde hadn't felt in a long time.

Suddenly, Quinn was pushed gently backwards, Kirsten's wide eyes filling her vision. "What the hell, Q? You know, on second thought, I think I'd rather deal with the dead body."

"Please-" The blonde started, eyes brimming with unshed tears as she reached out to hold tightly onto Kirsten's wrists. "She's cheating- the director…I just-" The words came out in sobs, broken and pleading. At the look of confusion on her friend's face, Quinn took a deep breath and continued, cringing when her voice cracked so heartbreakingly. "You were right."

Immediately leaning in again, Quinn kissed Kirsten once more; a simple kiss: one that wasn't meant to be vengeful or distraught; one that was asking, _seeking_ for comfort, revenge, for something and anything at all. In all honesty, even the blonde girl had no idea what was happening, what was transpiring between Kirsten and herself. All she knew is that there was a void; a deep and dark emptiness residing where the singer could have sworn her heart used to be.

The emptiness that Quinn felt growing inside her, it threatened to take her over completely. She desperately wanted to wake up and realize that this entire thing was just a silly nightmare. She wanted Rachel to gather her as much as she possibly could in her embrace and kiss all of Quinn's fears away. The blonde hurt. She hurt and she hated it.

She had thought herself broken, but broken was an understatement. Quinn had been shattered. She had been so utterly and completely decimated the moment that Rachel had let that rough hand, a stranger's hand, caress her and make her his own.

And so Quinn ran.

She turned to what she knew in situations like this. Situations that left her cornered and trapped. Quinn was hurt, and to hell with it all, if she wasn't going to make sure someone else felt what she was feeling.

The next kiss wasn't soft nor chaste, but insistent and angry. Taking it as a good sign that Kirsten had yet to pull away, Quinn pressed herself just a little closer, trapping the other girl between the wall and herself.

Pulling away slightly, the blonde was slightly resentful upon seeing the conflict clear on Kirsten's face. The other barista's eyes roamed frantically over Quinn's face, her hands clenched at her eyes and standing stiffly against the café wall.

The singer knew that the brunette was close to walking away and she made a last ditch effort, kissing Kirsten with everything she had. Initially stunned, the other girl began to feel the effects of the kiss; her eyes slipping shut and the two baristas settling into a rhythm.

Hands began to take bolder liberties, roaming coarsely over curves and sliding roughly against freshly exposed skin.

The next time Kirsten pulled away, her shirt was quickly disposed of. She stood unabashed as burning hazel eyes dragged over the smooth skin now at their disposal. Quinn was soon pressed against the other barista once more, her short nails digging into the brunette's skin as a shaky breath escaped the singer. A well-placed nip at her ear had Quinn's eyes slipping shut and her shirt was slipped off before she had any idea what was happened.

_Rachel's sweater was discarded in near record time, the remainder of her outfit soon joining the crumpled article of clothing. Quinn found herself torn between watching the small pile of clothes become taller with each fabric addition or watching as more and more of Rachel's skin become exposed to a predatory gaze. It was a difficult thing to watch, smooth tan skin; skin that Quinn had worshipped; being pulled and tugged at roughly. As he raked his nails across Rachel's back, the blonde let out a soft hiss, wincing as if she could feel the scratches being forged on her own skin. _

Taking cues from the other girl, the blonde's fingers trailed roughly along Kirsten's skin. The hesitation was completely gone at this point, the brunette taking more liberties with her hands as time went on. Quinn allowed one hand to snake up the other girl's back, taking hold of the thick locks of brown curls and tugging hard. The soft whimper of pain was one that the pale girl found herself relishing in; one that shuddered through her body.

_Rachel whimpered loudly, sending a terrifying chill down Quinn's spine. It wasn't a sound of want or a sound similar to any deriving from the throes of passion. No, Rachel was whimpering in pain as Greg pressed down on top of her. His pants were hooked only on one ankle, the remainder of the article strewn carelessly over the two of them. Grunting, he paused to reach down to fully remove them, retrieving a condom from the back pocket before lobbing them to one side._

Faintly, Quinn realized that she was now the one pressed up against the wall, Kirsten's mouth hot against her neck. As a rough hand palmed her breast, the blonde found herself grateful for the pain the brunette elicited from her. The nails scratching not every so gently along the nape of her neck, two rows of pearly whites nipping unforgivingly at her pulse point; it all served to keep Quinn's blood at a full boil, never once allowing her the chance to calm down and approach the situation rationally.

_Rachel's hands were gripping the director's back, as if to keep him from pulling away. Her hands hadn't started out that way; no, Quinn could have lived with that. The aspiring actress had initially kept her hands clenched at her sides, but as the thrusting sped up, the blonde watched on in horror as Rachel embraced the director. Had that not been enough, Quinn could have sworn the brunette's hips were tilting just the slightest bit upwards to meet each of Greg's thrusts. His moans were over-the-top, doing nothing but encouraging the bile to rise up the hidden girl's throat. _

When Quinn opened her eyes, she found her self unsurprised to be staring into a pair of teary brown eyes. Kirsten's lips were latched on her neck, had been so for some time now, but Rachel seemed to be unaware of the other girl's presence in its entirety. The actress's eyes never wavered from the blonde's, even when Kirsten unclipped and rid Quinn of her bra. The music had become pounding now, and the singer wasn't surprised that neither had heard Rachel enter, what with the numerous symphonies collaborating to create a certain piece of art. Quinn found the entire situation almost poetic: an earth-shattering piece of work for an earth-shattering moment in a number of people's lives.

Neither girl blinked. Neither girl turned away. It was if they were in a trance.

_Rachel hadn't closed her eyes. Quinn took it to serve as some sort of reminder that the brunette truly did not wish to succumb to the director's wishes. She gazed at the eyes in hopes of a tear, an emotion, anything at all that would remind her that she had not just lost the woman she had thought she might be in love with. The blonde flexed and relaxed her legs, her muscles burning with exhaustion. The girl had remained frozen, crouched on the floor throughout the entire event. She could see a layer of sheen on the couple; sweat covering both people on the stage. Her stomach turned with disgust when she noted how the director's muscles rippled under the stage lights as he continued to thrust into Rachel with no intentions of slowing down. Nevertheless, the singer regarded the entire event to be akin to a train crash: it was difficult to watch, a person rendered unable to look away, but at some point it did end. The casualties, the injured; everything would be laid out for the world to see. But it still hurt and the blonde found herself lingering even longer, until the first words of encouragement finally fell from Rachel's lips, and Quinn found herself utterly and desperately lost. _

The blonde's eyes flew open, all breath stolen from her lungs as she took in the sight of a broken Rachel Berry standing in front of her. She watched the hurt flash in the actress's eyes and it did nothing but to flare up the anger simmering inside the barista. The anger, the betrayal; it all led Quinn to do exactly what she knew how to do best.

A hand snaked in between Kirsten's thighs, confident and coarse, a loud moan of approval ripping from the throat of the other barista. Quinn's eyes flashed red as the bored into Rachel's tear-stricken face, holding her gaze for just a moment longer before surging forward to capture Kirsten's lips once more.

_He finished first. Quinn's body had been quivering for the past few moments, just from the sheer exhausting of crouching low for such a long period of time, but she could still tell that Rachel had been refused the opportunity of a climax. It was almost a relief as she watched the director stand and move towards his previously discarded clothes. The silence was deafening, broken only when Greg pulled roughly at his pants and shooting Rachel a short glance. "You've got the part. My assistant will call you."_

The vomit rose up in Quinn's throat and the blonde shoved Kirsten off of her roughly, barely making it to the bathroom in time to empty her stomach's contents. She could hear the barista fumbling with several things in the other room, when the distant click of the front lock was heard. The blonde's mind turned to Rachel and the disgust alone caused her to dry heave several times.

Gagging loudly, Quinn dropped her head against the cool porcelain of the toilet bowl, dragging the back of one hand across her forehead to wipe the sweat beaded along her skin. She kept one hand on her stomach, rubbing softly in hopes of settling her stomach. Kirsten entered in just a few minutes after, brandishing a tall glass of cold water and a large oversized sweatshirt.

"Arms up." She heard Kirsten murmur softly, as the brunette gently pulled the sweatshirt over Quinn. "Now drink some of this."

The blonde barista weakly shook her head, but at the other girl's insistence, a cool glass was placed against her lips. Quinn reached up feebly, tipping the glass just enough to allow a small stream of refreshing water to slide down her throat and calm down her burning insides.

"I feel like I'm on fire, K." She muttered, moving to lean against the wall and allowing her head to loll back.

Kirsten didn't respond verbally, only moving to help Quinn finish the remainder of her water. The silence was a peaceful silence; one that didn't demand such a constant need to be filled.

"I'm sorry, Kirst." The blonde uttered quietly, embarrassment having made a reappearance in the girl's life.

The brunette woman simply nodded her head. "I get that what happened sucked, but I'm not okay with the girl that I saw in there, Q. I like you the way you are: minus most of the crazy."

Another period of quiet occurred until Kirsten finally chose to continue. "I'm sorry about everything with Rachel. I- It was all a joke, you know. No one really thought she was doing anything to worry about."

Quinn shrugged, letting out a huge sigh before struggling to her feet. "I know, K. I think I'm going to head home, if that's okay. I know there's a lot left to clean, but I'll do all the cleaning the next few shifts to make up for bailing, I promise."

"Yeah, yeah. Go home and get some rest. I'm coming over at noon and we're going to discuss this like adults."

Forcing a small smile, Quinn shook her head. "I've got work, Kirsten. I can't."

Winking, the brunette ushered the blonde woman out the door. "I'm going to talk to Jimmy, and I have a suspicious feeling that neither of us will be expected to come in tomorrow."

She paused for just a second, moving forward to give an awkward side hug. "Don't get all sappy on me, but I'm worried, Q. I love you and I've got to make sure you're okay."

Quinn allowed a small genuine smile to grace her features, reaching out to squeeze Kirsten's hand briefly. "Love you too, Kirst. Goodnight."

* * *

The sunlight streamed through the window, rousing Quinn from her sleep. Her pillow was a little damp and her throat was raw. It took the blonde a moment to remember exactly what had led to her waking up like this when the events of last night came crashing down on her. Sighing loudly, she moved to drag herself out of bed when Kirsten came storming through the door.

"Rachel was at the café last night!" She exclaimed, a finger pointing dangerously at Quinn's throat. "Are you fucking insane? Just-seriously, FUCK, Q!"

Wide hazel eyes watched the volatile brunette, hesitant to answer in fear of angering the girl even more. Kirsten paced from side to side, hands clenched at her side and her face red as she muttered incoherencies.

Risking life and limb, Quinn reached out for the other girl only to have her hand smacked away. "Don't you dare, Quinn. Don't you fucking dare! I got a message from Rachel this morning. Do you want to know what that message said, Quinn Fabray?" Without waiting for a response, Kirsten continued, eyes wild with rage. "She asked me to take care of you. Now explain to me how she would have any idea what happened last night!"

The blonde opened her mouth only to be interrupted once again, "Oh no! Don't waste your breath, Q. I asked her. I asked her what she meant and then she told me that she came to the café last night. She came over when you were fucking me against the wall. You saw her! You saw her and you shattered her!"

Unable to stay quiet any longer, Quinn flew to her feet and shoved the brunette hard. "What the fuck is wrong with _**me**_? You want to know what the fuck, Kirsten? I'll tell you." Advancing towards the other girl, Quinn cornered Kirsten, her voice dangerously low and seeping with anger. "I had to watch her get fucked by her director. I had to stand there and watch as she let someone use her just so she could get ahead. I watched as she fucking cheated. I couldn't tear myself away from the theatre and I wanted her to feel what I felt. I wanted her to see me. I wanted her to hurt like I hurt. Everyone always expects me to be the better person. Everyone always wants me to fucking roll over for everything. I loved her! I fucking loved her, Kirsten and she cheated on me!"

Her body was trembling, tears threatening to spill over and suddenly she was engulfed in a hug. She clung tightly to Kirsten, sobs racking her small frame and apologies streaming from her lips. They stood like that for a few moments, the brunette rubbing her back gently as the tears slowed.

Finally the two pulled away, and Kirsten leant in to press a gentle kiss to the other girl's cheek. "Get back into bed, Q. I'm going to get the door and then we'll all sit down and talk about this."

Quinn trudged towards her bed, freezing suddenly as she realization dawned upon her. "All? Kirsten…?"

Kirsten waltzed out of the room with a shrug, calling out over her shoulder. "So, I called for backup. Sue me."

_**Reviews are most certainly appreciated. **  
_

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: SO READERS ARE DROPPING LIKE FLIES. THIS ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK IT IS. GIVE THE NEXT CHAPTER A CHANCE AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA QUIT THE FIC OR NOT. REVIEWS ARE DEFINITELY APPRECIATED BUT I'M SURPRISED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE REFUSE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY THINK IS HAPPENING. THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE OUT BY 5:00 PM TOMORROW (I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA). READ THAT, THEN MAKE YOUR DECISION. I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE A PLAN AND THE QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE ARE ALL QUESTIONS I ASK MYSELF A MILLION TIMES BEFORE PUTTING SOMETHING UP. PLEASE BE PATIENT AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. PLEASE AND THANK YOU, LOVELIES!**_


	7. This is War

**A/N: So here's the next part. I warned all of you that it wasn't as it seemed and it's not. Read the chapter first and please refer to the Author's Note at the bottom. Two more things. I'm sorry that the chapter is a few hours late, I was given an unexpected errand of taking my grandma to the hospital and that took longer than I expected. Secondly the Spanish in the next section states "I can't believe you would do this." I used Google Translate and that definitely isn't always exactly correct. Enjoy.**

"You fucking idiot! No puedo creer que hagas eso!" Santana shrieked in Quinn's face, holding her tightly in place against the wall. The entire room stood still as Quinn dropped her gaze to the floor, sniffling and swiping at her tears while Santana continued ranting. "Cheating? After everything that happened in Lima, you pull this shit?"

Santana moved away from the blonde at the insistence of Brittany, who had gripped the fiery Latina's wrist firmly. The brunette muttered expletives in both Spanish and English under her breath, while moving to lean against the opposite wall. Brittany followed her fiancée, placing a calming hand on her arm while addressing Quinn.

"Santana's right, Q. Two wrongs don't make a right. But San, Quinn is hurt too and we need to be nicer than that. Rachel did a bad thing and Quinn can be mad if she wants to be." Brittany interjected, speaking serenely, unlike her volatile fiancée.

Groaning loudly, Santana dropped her head in her hands. "I know, Britt. But fuck, Quinn. Cheating? That's what you fell back on?"

Kirsten watched the tears welling up in Quinn's eyes as the girl slid down the wall to collapse on the floor and moved to interject, placing a comforting hand on the blonde's head and stroking her hair softly. "I think we should all agree that both parties were definitely in the wrong. But there's not much we can do about that anymore." Brittany and Santana nodded their agreement and the brunette continued, "I think the next logical step is to talk to Rachel."

Quinn's head immediately shot up, her eyes wide in fear. "No. I can't go and talk to her. I don't think I'd even be able to look at her."

A pained look crossed Kirsten's face and the girl crouched beside the other barista with a soft smile, taking Quinn's hands in her own. "Listen, Q. There's another side to this. I know that the last thing you want to do right now is confront Rachel but the truth is that we really don't know much for sure."

"Kirsten- she cheated-" Quinn strained out, eyes pleading with the girl by her side. "Please don't make me go-"

Brittany pulled away from Santana and moved towards the other blonde, coming to a smooth stop and pulling Quinn up into a warm hug. "You have to, Q. You're a grown up, remember? And sometimes, grown-ups have to do things they don't really want to do. If it makes it easier, S and I can come with you."

"Britt, you don't understand. After what she did; after what she saw, I just- I don't know if I could ever face her again."

"I don't know, Q. I really think there's something we're missing." Brittany murmured softly, dropping her eyes to the floor and shuffling her feet. "I just think that you'll regret it if you don't go see Rachel."

Kirsten stepped forward, letting out a shaky breath before smiling weakly at both blondes. "I'll come, too. What are friends for, right?"

The singer swallowed thickly, her heart pounding in her chest at the thought of confronting Rachel. She turned her head when she felt a pair of familiar arms circle her waist and Santana's voice float into her ear. "We'll do this together, Q. Unholy Trinity, remember?"

"Plus one." Kirsten added, with a wink in Quinn's direction.

Nodding, the singer agreed hesitantly. "Okay. But we need a plan because I am not going to confront Rachel Berry without a plan."

The group separated, all rearranging themselves on Quinn's bed. Santana sighed loudly, as she situated herself with her head in her girlfriend's lap. "I say we break down the door, corner the midget and tell her she's a cheating whore."

"San!" Brittany chided, gently slapping the Latina on the arm.

Kirsten shrugged, looking up at Quinn. "I'm kind of in on Santana's plan. You cheated too but she started it all. There's no way she can play victim in this."

Brittany groaned, letting her head drop back against the headboard. "Quinn, go and talk to her."

"About what, Britt!" Quinn snapped, glaring at the dancer. "You keep telling me to talk to her but you're not really giving me any fucking ideas so-"

"Watch it, Fabray." Santana hissed out, her face suddenly mere inches away from Quinn's. "Brittany is trying to help _**you**_. Back off, now."

"San, it's okay." Brittany tried to interject, but the other blonde held up a hand.

"She's right. I'm sorry, B. I'm just frustrated and hurt and angry and- I don't know how to get it out of my body, you know?"

"Yeah, it's like a cage. You can see what's waiting on the outside, but it's not always easy to find how to get there." The dancer supplied as she raked her fingers through Santana's hair, hoping to calm the other girl down. "But you should like ask her why and tell her how you feel, you know?"

"Yeah, Britt. I know. It's just not that easy." Quinn sighed. "But I'm a grown up, right?"

Brittany nodded, an enormous smile blossoming on her face. "You definitely are, Q."

* * *

The ride to Rachel's had been terse and Quinn could feel her stomach turning as she watched Kirsten navigate through the New York traffic.

When the car came to a stop in front of Rachel's building, the blonde barista feared hyperventilation as her heart constricted in her chest and all air escaped her lungs. Clenching Brittany's hand tightly in her own, Quinn pleaded with the girls in the car once more, hoping for nothing more than to climb in her bed and sleep forever.

It was only when Santana turned around and snapped at her, that Quinn found herself scrambling to get out of the car. She took a few steps forward, only to turn back around and send a desperate glance back at the car. Finding no sympathy from her friends, the blonde turned and trudged up to the stoop.

Nodding stiltedly at the doorman, Quinn whispered her thanks before slipping inside and approaching the stairs that would lead her to Rachel's floor and ultimately, the brunette's apartment. Wincing at each creak, she looked at her feet almost willing them to stop their betrayal before they announced her arrival prematurely.

It seemed like it had only been an hour ago when Kirsten had let Brittany and Santana in to the apartment, yet here was Rachel's door. Shooting a pathetic glance down to the front entrance, Quinn wondered how she ended up outside of her cheating girlfriend's home alone.

Almost alone, she corrected. Her support system waited in Kirsten's car just outside the building, ready at the drop of a hat to rush to Quinn's rescue. Santana had initially insisted on coming inside with Quinn but a gentle chiding from Brittany helped to avert the would-be disaster.

The pale girl lifted her hand, pausing to take a deep breath to prepare herself for what would come next. Forming a fist, Quinn knocked twice against the wood, announcing her arrival to the occupant inside. When the door didn't swing open, the blonde found herself leaning against the heavy door, straining to hear any noise from inside.

The realization dawned upon Quinn that no one was home. Blanching, she realized with a groan that she hadn't prepared for Rachel to not be at her apartment. The thought of the brunette trudging her way up the stairs at this very moment left Quinn leaning against the banister for support. Taking several deep breaths, she turned on her heel, ready to flee to safety when the sounds of a lock turning caught her attention.

Freezing, the blonde closed her eyes and willed herself to be blessed with the ability to become invisible. A soft voice called her from behind and Quinn prayed the disappointment wasn't obvious on her face as she turned back around to meet the gaze of Rachel.

The brunette leaned against the doorway, adorning a large worn in sweater and worrying her bottom lip in confusion. Hazel eyes dragged up long tan legs, the blonde's hands itching for nothing more than to explore the exposed skin. Shaking her head, Quinn let her eyes meet Rachel's briefly before taking a hesitant step forward. "Sorry for coming here- um, unannounced. I just- I think we need to talk."

Pursing her lips, the brunette seemed to scrutinize the girl in front of her before stepping aside and gesturing Quinn to enter with a terse nod.

* * *

Quinn found herself sitting stiffly on the couch, a glass of water placed gingerly in front of her full to the brim. Rachel moved around the table to sit directly in front of the blonde, gulping down half of the large, star-adorned glass of water before placing it on a coaster in front of her.

Rachel's eyes were glued to the floor, unable to meet Quinn's gaze for so long that the blonde found herself squirming uncomfortably. The silence in the apartment was deafening, nothing like the other times the singer had been here.

"I'm surprised you came this early." Rachel stated softly, chancing a glance up at the girl.

Quinn startled, more surprised at the intrusion of thoughts than she wanted to let on. "What?" Brow furrowing, she frowned inwardly at her inability to successfully string more than a few words together.

"I knew well enough to expect this conversation but I must admit that I wasn't prepared to have it this soon." Rachel reiterated, twisting her hands restlessly in her lap.

Quinn pursed her lips, eyes squinting as she took in the brunette's posture. "I don't follow, Rachel."

"I know you know." Rachel breathed out softly, the words resounding in Quinn's mind.

Feeling fear crawl up her spine, the pale girl squirmed in her seat as she looked up meeting a chocolate gaze. "I don't- I don't follow. What do you mean, Rachel?"

"You were at the theatre last night and I was at the café. You're here to talk about this." Rachel stated, her voice carrying an edge of irritation, as she gestured loosely between the two of them.

"How do you know that, Rachel?" Quinn asked, feeling sick to her stomach as the bile rose up her throat. Reaching forward, she clutched at the glass of water in front of her and drank nearly the entire glass in one breath, relief setting in as she felt the cool liquid somewhat satiate her burning insides.

When going to place the cup back down, Quinn noted the slight tremble in her hands and looked up at the quiet hum coming from Rachel. The brunette was watching her as intently as she had ever been, eyes curious and lips tugging into a small smile. "I do that when I'm scared or upset." At the confusion apparent on the blonde's face, the actress continued. "Drink water, I mean. I've had this glass since I was young and whenever I was upset, I'd go and fill it to the very brim only to drink it all." A soft chuckle, terrifyingly humorless, escaped from the shorter girl as she toyed with a lifted edge of one of the stars on her glass.

Quinn could feel her heart thundering in her chest, her blood pulsing in her ears, finding it hard to breathe and even harder yet to speak. Still she managed to croak out, confusion and terror lacing each syllable. "Rachel, y-you need to tell me exactly what you're talking about."

The brunette seemed scarily unnerved, sitting calmly across from the other girl. The blonde found it hard to admit that she had preferred when the actress at lease seemed somewhat unsettled. "Quinn-"

"No. You knew I was there and you still cheated?" The taller girl interjected, leaning forward and gripping the edge of the cushion she was seated upon.

"Well-" Rachel attempted to clarify, only to be cut off again by a sound of disbelief. The brunette huffed angrily, biting out viciously. "Let me finish, Quinn!"

"Fuck." Quinn breathed out, terror seeping out of her body, leaving her slumped in her seat.

The tan girl tried once more, becoming agitated at the consistent interruption she found. "No, Quinn- You don't understand."

"No, no, Rachel. You don't understand." The blonde whispered angrily, rage bubbling up inside her. "Fuck you. D-Do you have any idea what you did to me? I- I fucking watched you screw the guy-and and- not just any guy, Rachel. I watched you fuck your director just so you could get a role in a play!"

Rachel's eyes were narrowed now, anger evident in her features at the accusatory tone directed at her. "Stop it, Qui-!"

"No!" Quinn was on her feet now, throwing her arms up angrily as she began pacing from side to side. "You-you totally fucking-"

"I didn't cheat!" Rachel exclaimed, shooting to her own feet and advancing on the other girl. The brunette was red in the face, a scowl embedded on her features as she watched Quinn's entire body still at the confession.

"What?" Confusion dripped from the blonde's words, her brow crinkled in puzzlement. "I don't- I don't understand."

" I know you don't!" Exasperated, Rachel threw her hands up in the air and collapsed onto the couch. "I said, I didn't cheat and I didn't. Frankly, I find it absurd that you would assume that I would ever drop to such a level for a role. I respect myself far too much and I'm disappointed in you."

"But I saw you." Quinn's voice seemed so small that it managed to break even her own heart. Swallowing down the sob threatening to rip from her chest, she attempted to speak again with more confidence. "I saw you…cheat. I saw you let the director- _**Greg**_**-**" Quinn spat out the name angrily, sending a withering glare in Rachel's direction when the girl let out a loud scoff.

"What you saw, Quinn, is called acting. Greg is, in fact, a great friend of mine who agreed to help me test you." Rachel stated, crossing her arms and staring at the blonde with a smug, matter of fact look on her face.

The blonde girl recoiled, struggling to comprehend exactly what the actress was telling her. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Quinn snapped out, her mournful eyes betraying her anger. "You were- You were testing me?"

"Yes, Quinn." Rachel supplied, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Actresses are often bombarded with rumors that are more frequently false than true and their relationships suffer from this fact. I needed to know if I could trust you to come to me with any worries and concerns, rather than simply falling prey to the 'rumor mill' as the media so lovingly calls it." Rachel continued on as she reached for her glass of water, taking several large gulps of water before continuing on. "It was all a farce; simply put, it was an elaborate way to test how well I could trust you and how much you trusted me. Frankly, I must admit, you didn't quite react the way I had hoped." The bitterness lacing the brunette's words turned the singer's stomach who felt sicker than she had at the theatre.

Quinn's face had drained of all color and she found herself unable to support herself on her own two feet. Shakily, she resumed her seat before turning towards Rachel with wonderment clearly written on her face.

"You- you lied to me about so much; so much, Rachel and _**you're**_upset?" She managed to ask, unable to completely wrap her head around the situation.

Rachel's eyebrows quirked up at the question and she bit back a retort, choosing instead to answer the question in a more flippant manner. "Why, yes, Quinn. What would you expect me to feel when I followed you to the café only to find you in the arms of Kirsten? To be honest, I had expected tears, anger, a fight to have followed, but to find you choosing to simply _**fuck**_ someone else, as you so delicately put it earlier, was not what I expected."

"You're fucking with me, right?" Quinn laughed out in disbelief. "I thought you cheated on me! I just wanted to make you feel what I felt!"

Rachel clicked her tongue softly, looking at the other girl with such disdain that the blonde felt the sudden urge to slap the look off her face. "That's vengeful, Quinn. Another trait in people that is less than desirable."

"Insecurity is another big one, Berry." The blonde bit out, gathering to her feet and snatching up her purse. "You've got another thing coming if you think that what you pulled was okay."

"N-no. I didn't cheat. I lied b-but it was only to make sure you could be trust-trusted." Rachel looked taken aback at this statement, stammering as she found herself unable to reply as coherently as she had hoped. Clearing her throat, she nodded to herself as she repeated, "It was just a test, Quinn."

"No, Rachel!" Quinn rounded on the shorter girl, her voice rising sever decibels. "That's where you're wrong. It wasn't just a test, or just a white lie. What you did- it was a mind fuck. You took my trust, whatever I had and absolutely shattered it."

Laughing bitterly, the singer pulled back and sneered at Rachel. "You're right. You didn't cheat. But you did lose your girlfriend."

A flash of hurt crossed the brunette's face but the girl managed to compose herself in record time. "Unfortunately, Quinn, you are correct. But I intended on breaking up with you during this talk. You're delusional if you think, for even one second, that you're walking away from this situation with your hands clean of any sin."

"God, Rachel. I pity anyone who ends up with you." Quinn whispered lowly, shaking her head disbelievingly, moving towards the door.

Almost like a switch, Rachel gripped Quinn's hand tightly in her own, looking up at her through thick eyelashes with teary eyes, "Don't. Don't do that. You- You have no idea what I've been through. I- I had to know if you'd ignore the rumors or if you'd let them get to you like everyone else."

Quinn paused, reveling for a moment in the nearness of the brunette, her senses bombarded with the wafting smell of coconut from Rachel's shampoo. Shaking her head and pulling herself out of her reverie, the blonde gently extracted her hand from the other girl's. "If someone had told me you were sleeping with the director, I would have come to you, but you let _**me**_ see it. How am I supposed to come to you when it's not a rumor anymore?"

Rachel looked shocked as her hands dropped to her side, a soft '_Fuck'_ escaping her.

Taking one last look at the shaking brunette in front of her, Quinn walked to the door and took hold of the doorknob where she found herself faltering. The soft whimpering of her name had the barista looking over her shoulder, concern etched into her features.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. I'm so sorry." Rachel murmured, looking up at the blonde, one hand outreached towards her.

It took every ounce of willpower for Quinn not to run back to Rachel in that moment, but the blonde steeled herself and turned the doorknob, whispering softly into the apartment before closing the door and heading home.

"I'm sorry, too, Rach."

**A/N 2: So, before you say that this wouldn't happened, it has. To me. Albeit, the circumstances were different, the set up was the same. An ex-friend of mine actually convinced me she was being abused at home. She had other people involved, actual cuts, bruises, etc,.. and after almost an entire month when I was at my wits end and ready to call the police, she admitted it was all a test to see how I would react if she was in trouble. People are weird. So, anyway! Rachel didn't cheat! She's an insecure selfish person, but the cheating was all an act to see if Quinn could be trusted. The logistics of how it was all planned are all in the next chapter which you guys can be on the look out for soon. Please let me know what you guys think! **

**Reviews are love!**


	8. Out of My Hands

Weeks later, Quinn was burning out. She moved monotonously through her mornings because she tossed tirelessly through the nights. Most of the time, she put on the facade that nothing was wrong. If anyone asked, she was happy that Rachel was out of her life, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Denying it was like pretending that gravity didn't exist: she tried as mightily as she could, but she couldn't wish herself to fly away or fall off the face of the earth; it simply wasn't possible.

Santana and Brittany had taken to sleeping in Quinn's bed, at Brittany's request. The two of them would sleep on either side of her, as if to create a buffer to keep out the night terrors and protect the broken girl from what had happened. The dancer would hold the other blonde near her, stroking her arm affectionately or pressing sporadic kisses into her hair to try and put her to sleep. Still, hours later, when Quinn would find herself shaking from the silent sobs racking through her deteriorating body, it was Santana, not Brittany, that would hold her and keep her from sinking away from reality.

Quinn opened one eye at the signs of daybreak creeping in through her shut senses: she could avoid the light turned fleshy through her eyelids by burying her face in the pillow, but she couldn't avoid the sweet chirping of birds out the bedroom window. The girl rolled her eyes at the cheerful noise as she slipped soundlessly out of bed, keeping quiet so as not to wake the spooning couple taking over the other half of the bed. Tip-toeing softly into the kitchen, she rummaged quietly in the cupboards, not quite sure what she was looking for, but emitting a triumphant grunt when she succeeded in finding the largest glass she owned.

Humming softly, the blonde stifled a yawn as she dropped a few ice cubes into the oversized tumbler and filled it to the brim with water.

Quinn didn't realize what she was doing, not even when the water dribbled down her chin. Groaning, she swiped at her skin with her unoccupied sleeve. She swirled the inch of water left in the cup around mindlessly, but it was only when she began to circle the rim of the cup with the fingertips of her other hand that her thoughts turned to the last time she saw Rachel and how the brunette had explained her habit of drinking water when she was upset. The blonde felt her stomach flip, nausea washing over her in constant waves.

The tears sprung to her eyes, and she hadn't realized that she had dropped the glass until Santana's arms were around her, pulling her away from the broken shards and splinters and calling to her sleeping fiancée to come help. Quinn had had every intention of carrying on the way she had been, but when her first rational thought, even through her sobs, was that now she no longer owned a cup large enough for Rachel to drown her sorrows in, she finally had to admit it to herself.

As sick as it made Quinn to confess it, she missed Rachel.

* * *

The bell linked to the door broke the quiet of the café and Quinn looked up, breath catching in her throat. The sight of the confident man striding through the door had her heart lodging in her chest as panic washed over her.

Standing as tall as the day she had first seen him, Greg tugged on his shirt's sleeve nervously as his eyes scanned the near empty café until they fell upon her standing behind the counter. Quinn found herself frozen, her body glued to the spot as Rachel's director advanced towards her. Her mind screamed at her body to run in the opposite direction, but her legs stayed rooted to the spot as wide eyes found themselves unable to tear themselves away from one of the most terrifying sights of her life.

"Hello, there. Quinn, is it? I'm Greg, the director." He asked, smiling at the blonde disarmingly. Terror coursed through the blonde's veins, as she stood shell-shocked before the intimidating man.

Greg frowned, clearing his throat and shoving his hands in his pockets. "I- uh, I guess I should have known that you wouldn't want to see me." His eyes searched Quinn's face, his forehead crumpling in defeat as he tried once more. "Rachel talked to me. I wanted to-" Cutting off, the man straightened up and met Quinn's gaze once more, speaking more confidently. "I'm here to apologize."

The words rocked the blonde backwards and she found herself stumbling into a gentle but secure embrace as venom laced words cut through the air. "You can leave now, Greg." Kirsten hissed lowly, her grip on Quinn firm, even as the brunette moved to stand between the director and the frightened girl. "Rachel Berry isn't welcome here and neither are you."

Greg took a step back, holding his hands up in surrender as he sincerely pleaded, "I'm just here to talk. To apologize."

"Who do you think you are? Showing up here after everything you've done to her? You're no better than Berry and don't you for a second fool yourself into thinking you are. You both are the most despicable people I have ever had the displeasure of meeting." Kirsten gritted out, letting go of Quinn and moving closer to the intimidated man. "I'm going to tell you this one last time, _**Greg.**_ Get the fuck out of here before I throw you out myself," the brunette threatened, her features darkening ominously as she bored holes into the director's eyes.

Licking his lips uneasily, he stepped back looking entreatingly in Quinn's direction. "I just wanted to help you understand, Quinn. I'm not here to speak on Rachel's behalf, just to explain that there's a little more under the surface and-"

"Get out!" Kirsten thundered suddenly, a closed fist coming down on the counter, the mugs resting on the end trembling from the force. The few patrons of the café jerked up at the sudden noise, one going as far as to gather his things and exit the café in a grumbling huff about proper times and places for such conversations.

Kirsten had had enough and she moved to head to the other side of the counter when a soft voice called back to her. Kirsten turned to Quinn, an eyebrow quirked up so high that the blonde would have been proud had it been under different circumstances.

"I—" Quinn found the words catching on the jagged edges of her heart, still lodged successfully in her chest and she cleared her throat, trying again with a glance at the devastatingly relieved man in front of her. "I think I want to talk to him, Kirsten."

Her co-worker looked on incredulously, moving in to speak urgently under her breath, as her eyes searched Quinn's face for any uncertainty. "Q, are you a hundred percent sure about this?"

Mustering up a small, weak smile, Quinn patted her friend's arm and moved to remove her apron. "I haven't been a hundred percent sure about anything for a while, Kirst. We'll talk right outside. If anything at all looks fishy, you have my permission to come running to my rescue to do whatever your heart desires."

Grumbling, Kirsten looked up at the man and bit out one last warning, assuring him that if he so much as made one wrong move, he would be castrated in the most painful way he could imagine.

Greg swallowed, nodding jerkily at the brunette as Quinn watched from the side. This man was nothing like the one she had met before. Recalling his acting chops, the question of authenticity arose immediately. He had been so intimidating, commandeering, and demanding at the auditions. In the coffee house, Greg had been seemingly genuine and sincere. But he was an actor, Quinn reminded herself and the fact of the matter was that she knew nothing about him.

Nodding curtly at the man, the blonde led him to a small set of tables and chairs outside the door of the café.

The director moved immediately to pull a chair out for the blonde, gesturing for her to sit down with a small smile on his face. Cocking her head to one side, Quinn deliberately reached over and pulled the other chair back noisily, slipping into the seat and watching the smile fall off of Greg's face.

Clearing his throat, the man smoothly recovered from the rejection and moved to sit down in the chair he had held out for Quinn. He folded his hands on the tabletop only to unfold them immediately and rub them on the thighs of his perfectly fitting jeans.

Laughing hesitantly, he looked up at Quinn briefly. "Sorry. I—I'm actually kind of nervous."

"Why?" It was the first word the blonde had spoken to the man and she uttered so quietly that had he not been watching her so intently, he would have missed it entirely.

"Ah- she speaks." Greg attempted feebly, then dropped the smile again as Quinn continued to scrutinize him from across the table. "A—Actually-" Clearing his throat, he deepened his voice and spoke a little louder, "Coming here was an impulse decision. I spoke to Rachel a few days ago, immediately after—" he paused, his face puckering unattractively as he struggled to find the right word.

"After she fucked me over, you mean." Quinn supplied, not a drop of humor to be found in her words.

"Y-Yeah. After that." Greg stammered, scooting forward in his chair to look curiously at Quinn. "I was just sitting in my office earlier and I couldn't get you out of my head. Everything Rachel told me, it just—it really brought me down, you know?" Knowing better than to expect a response from the girl by now, he continued on. "And I was just wondering if I was in your shoes—"

"You're not in my shoes." Quinn cut in, hissing at the director who looked very taken aback at the maliciousness flaring up in the blonde's eyes. "You put me in this position. You did this to me and don't you dare forget it."

"I—I won't." Leaning up, he rubbed his cheek roughly and let out a rough chuckle. "I think I'm in a little over my head, Quinn. I came to apologize. To let you know how sorry I was for letting Rachel take it as far as she did."

Quinn sat silently in her chair, looking up when Kirsten exited the coffee house with a single mug of steaming cocoa. Setting the mug in front of the blonde, the barista leaned down and pressed a soft kiss in her hair, whispering softly in her ear that she was just a second away should she need her. Smiling genuinely, Quinn squeezed her friend's hand briefly, grateful for the support and security Kirsten's loyalty provided.

As Kirsten breezed by Greg without even a glance of acknowledgement, he lifted a hand slightly in the air and called to her. "Actually, would it be possible to get the same thing she's—"

"Fuck off, asswipe." Kirsten interrupted, not even the slightest falter in her stride as she disappeared inside the café once more.

Clearing his throat, Greg slumped in his chair, "Duly noted. Your friend there—she's quite the um—well, she's definitely something." He finished lamely and dragged a hand through his graying hairs. "You're right, you know? I'm responsible for this. Just as much as Rachel, if not more."

Quinn dug her fingernails into the palms of her hand, willing to keep the involuntary wince at the brunette's name under control. She shook her head gently, desperately willing the warm chocolate gaze out of her mind and focused on Greg's rambling apology.

The man seemed to be bouncing from one thing to another, in no particular order and Quinn found herself more lost than before. Holding up a hand, she stopped his rambling and looked on curiously, with no malice in her gaze anymore. "Why are you here, Greg? Honestly."

He seemed to be slightly confused by the question if his furrowed brow was anything to go by. "I—I don't know. I just wanted to let you know that I was sorry and I guess explain the situation if I would be allowed to do so, that is."

The blonde immediately shook her head, letting out a sigh of disappointment. "I don't want excuses, Greg. If that's all you're here to offer me, I suggest you leave now and save your breath."

"No!" Greg instantly protested, shaking his head vehemently. "It's not an excuse. I'm not trying to shirk responsibility, here. That's the point I'm trying to get across here, though I can see that I'm not doing a very good job. I'm here to own up to my faults, Quinn. I'm here to explain what was going on in my head, in Rachel's, what it was we were trying to accomplish and how things spiraled out of everyone's control."

Panic surged through Quinn's body, realization dawning upon her that the answers to all of her questions were sitting right in front of her. Sensing the dread, Greg leaned in with another one of his disarmingly charming smiles. "You don't have to do any of this, Quinn. It's all just my way of letting you know you—"

"Start from the beginning." The blonde interrupted, eyes closed as she took slow deep breaths. Letting her eyes flutter open, she nodded once more, speaking more assuredly. "I want to know everything. All the details."

And so it began.

Greg was most certainly a storyteller and Quinn could see why he worked so well in the field he had chosen. He began by introducing himself properly as an old friend of Rachel's. The two had been friends for years now, a project from art school long ago resulting in the blossoming of a beautiful friendship. The blonde listened intently as Greg explained the actress's past.

She had been head over heels when she arrived in New York. Young, dumb, and in love, the director explained sadly, remembering the mouse of a man who had followed in her wake.

Finn Hudson had been her high school sweetheart and when she arrived in the big city at the tender age of 18, she was already engaged to the man whom she believed to be the love of her life. The mug lay forgotten as Greg weaved a tale so thorough and detailed that Quinn found herself reliving Rachel's past as though it were her own.

Finn had abandoned what he had considered his future when he left their small town to follow the aspiring actress to New York. Their relationship seemed steady, strong, and solid even, leaving Quinn to wonder what had happened to leave Rachel not only single but in the market for the fairer sex. Greg had laughed when she voiced this aloud, advising the blonde to be patient if she wanted to know everything. He explained how as the wedding date drew closer, the couple seemed to do the same.

Rachel was not the merely aspiring actress she had pretended to be. Greg was quick to point out that she was by no means famous, but that Rachel Berry had more than a little credibility to her name, all of which she earned legitimately. As her success grew, she had begun spending more and more time away from home and Finn was unable to cope with his friends taking jabs at him about what his girlfriend was doing out late at such hours of the night.

Here, Greg paused, tapping his fingers on the table. "I'm sorry, Quinn. All I can say is that when the wedding was about two months away, the two of them started having problems. Rachel had always been trusting, almost to the point of naivety at times but her fiancé had been quite the opposite. The more time Rachel spent away, the more suspicious Finn became. The details surrounding this are ones that are sworn to secrecy and though I owe you, I can't deny Rachel this confidence. She's broken enough as it is, and to take this away from her…I can't do that. I hope you'll understand."

Quinn nodded curtly, gesturing with her hand for the director to continue, which he did. "Obviously, they cancelled the wedding, and the two went their separate ways, but—but what happened between the two of them; it changed Rachel forever. She had only gone out exclusively with men prior to Finn, but sexuality was never an issue for her. She considered herself to be very flexible. In the past year or two, I've most certainly noticed a preference for women though. Regardless of whom she was dating, Rachel became irrationally insecure, sneaking looks at text messages, etc. on the phone of whomever she was dating,.."

"She also always felt that people suspected her and she let that get to her. Finally, it got to the point where she felt the need to weed people out. Initially, she had resorted to more subtlety than you saw. Slipping a well-placed sentence to a friend of her significant other was sufficient enough for her. The rumor would get back to whomever it was she was dating at the time and she would gauge their response."

Sighing sadly, Greg corrected himself, "At least in the beginning, it was. She'd come to me after a day or two following the 'test'," he explained, coupling the word with air quotes. "She would show up at my office in tears or donning an enormous grin, recounting how her beloved had failed or passed the test. It seemed harmless at first but as time went on, the rumors she planted began to become more and more intricate. Still, I took little concern over it and I let her do her thing.

"I remember the time she first asked me to help her," he added, eyes glossing over as he recalled the memory. "She had been dating a redhead and though the girl seemed susceptible to bouts of minor jealousy, she showed promise. Rachel had come bursting into my office one afternoon begging me to play the role of a shady director, one that I assure you, I am not. I refused but that girl doesn't quit." He let out a soft chuckle, laced with subtle hints of remorse. "I never should have said yes, but I did. And there began her new game."

"The affair with you?" Quinn waited for the pause to interject softly, genuinely feeling sorry for the man sitting in front of her. The thought of the entire thing possibly being another act was still at the back of her mind but the amount of sincerity she found in Greg seemed too much to dispute.

"The _**pretend**_ affair with me, Quinn." The director gently corrected, resituating himself in the chair as he leaned back. "She would refuse to let whoever she was dating come to an audition for a duration of time, introduce me as the smarmy director, and wait to see where their minds went." Clicking his tongue, he shrugged helplessly. "More often than not, her boyfriends or girlfriends failed the test. Each failure just managed to strengthen her belief that she was doing the right thing in weeding out those she could trust and those she couldn't. I tried to convince her that she wasn't going about this the right way but she had some logical points that you couldn't really argue with."

He laughed incredulously then and at Quinn's insistence, confessed breathlessly. "I don't even remember her argument anymore. I just remember it making sense in a way only Rachel Berry could manage."

"So you continued in her little game." Quinn clarified, the tip of her finger circling the rim of the cocoa mug in front of her.

"So I continued in her little game," Greg agreed, scratching roughly at his neck with a deep frown embedded on his face. "But still, until you came along—She never came close to what we pulled on you."

Skeptical, Quinn shook her head as she reached for her phone, sending Kirsten a text asking for food for _**both**_ Greg and herself. "Forgive me, but I have a hard time believing she just flipped a switch with me."

"Oh, believe me. I understand." The man responded, smiling. "When she met you, she was instantly smitten. Rachel almost floated into my office the first time she stepped foot into this café. I swear, I must have heard hundreds of times how luscious your hair was and how the sunlight 'sparkles in the flecks of gold in those eyes' before you two became an actual couple." Greg teased Quinn, sending a wink her way and snickering at the blush coloring her cheeks.

Kirsten noisily disrupted them, dropping Greg's plate down carelessly before placing the other one in front of Quinn. "Enjoy, Quinn," She added sweetly, before turning and acknowledging the director with a curt nod, "Asshole."

When he reached for the Panini sitting in front of him cautiously, Quinn let out a genuine chuckle before assuring him that though Kirsten was capable of physical violence, she wouldn't resort to such things like poison or spit. "She likes to see fear. She just wouldn't be gratified with either of those things," the blonde added with a small smirk, finding Greg to be just as great a listener as he was a storyteller.

At Quinn's request, the director continued with his story, explaining how Rachel had completely fallen head over heels for Quinn in no time. "In fact, though I'm not sure, she didn't bring up anything at all about testing you until your high school friends came to visit."

The blonde swallowed the bite she was working on and looked up in confusion. "She didn't let me come to any auditions before that, though. She must have known she was going to test me if she had done that."

Laughing, Greg reached over to pat the girl's hand. "She was auditioning for the starring role in a Broadway play. It was a long shot and she knew she would be rejected. I remember this because, Quinn dear, she sat in my office when she didn't get the callback telling me she was glad she hadn't let you see her mess up an audition that important."

He popped the last bit of his Panini in his mouth, leaning back and patting his stomach with a satisfied grin. "Say what you want about your friend's attitude, but she makes a mean Panini."

Quinn laughed, gingerly, delicately taking another bite from her sandwich before tucking her legs under herself. "So what happened with Santana and Brittany that caused Rachel to go all—you know."

"Well, something about one of them trying to convince you to keep an eye on her," Greg guessed with a shrug. "She came in crying one day and said that she was certain you didn't trust her.

He waved a hand in the air passively, a frown pulling the corners of his mouth down, as he continued. "The next thing I know, you're sitting front row at a production we put on to convince you that she and I were having an affair. It was only meant to raise suspicion, invoke rumors and such among you and your friends. Until, of course, Rachel marched in and demanded we take it a step farther." Pausing, he clicked his tongue, seemingly deep in thought. "I suppose, in a way, she was just trying to push you away. With everything that happened with Finn, she began to expect that from everyone around her."

"But what she did was crossing the line, Greg! You should have stopped her!"

"I tried, Quinn. Believe me. I'm not too fond of playing this role. Like I said, in the beginning, it wasn't much at all. With you, though—with you, she just had it set in her head that you were going to leave and when you didn't, she pushed harder and harder until—well, you know." He finished lamely, looking down at his empty plate guiltily.

Taking a deep breath, he leaned back and slumped in his chair, scratching the back of his neck as he apologized once more. "Listen, I'm—I'm really sorry. I know that I should have tried harder—I tried to reason with her. More than once, I tried—it just, it never really got through her head until now that she was doing something wrong."

He paused again, rubbing his hands over his face harshly as he let out a groan. "Rachel has this—she's—she's got this tendency to decide what she wants to do and then really fight for it. She doesn't understand why others won't just agree and she kept pestering me and pestering me, until I just said yes. That's part of the reason I'm here today, to really apologize for the fact that I gave in. We may not have had sex, but what Rachel and I did do to you wasn't any better and I'm sorry for that."

Quinn leaned back into her chair, her head beginning to hurt with the overwhelming amount of information being shoved in front of her.

"I know Rachel's sorry, too. She's devastated without you, Quinn." Greg murmured softly, reaching over and covering the blonde's hand with one of his own. "By no means am I telling you to go over there and make up, but—I just thought you'd like to know that you meant more to her than the others to her. She's completely at a loss of what to do. I wouldn't shy away from betting that though she has most certainly fucked you over as you said, her feelings for you were nothing less than the absolute truth."

They sat for a few moments more in silence before Greg stood and excused himself, regretfully pointing out that he had an actual audition to run. Moving to Quinn's side of the table, he pulled out a card scribbling something on the back and setting it down before squeezing Quinn's shoulder gently. "That's got my cell number on there and on the back is where Rachel has been hiding out these past few days. You should talk to her."

He left then, leaving the girl alone at the table. Quinn played with the card for the better part of five minutes, for some irrational reason afraid to turn it over. When she finally managed to muster up enough courage, her heart swelled and her eyes glazed over.

"Fuck."

* * *

An hour later found Quinn engraving a permanent groove into the worn down wooden floors of her apartment. She paced from one side of her room to the other as Kirsten, Brittany, and Santana all watched on.

Kirsten, actively participating, spouted off a hundred reasons as to why Quinn should do anything but go to see Rachel again. Brittany sat nearby, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she watched Quinn, her tears a key reason as to why Santana half-heartedly refuted each of the brunette's objections with a logical answer.

At one point, Santana had turned to Brittany and gently asserted that she may want to side with Kirsten on this issue. The blonde dancer's face took on such an anguished look that her girlfriend immediately retracted her statement and continued to try to convince Quinn to go see the actress.

Quinn was agonizingly torn. The thought of seeing Rachel calmed her erratic heart but settled deep in her gut, succeeding in making her feel at peace and sick to her stomach at the same time.

She had yet to set the card Greg had given her down anywhere, looking down once more to trace the curves of his rushed note. The address took her back to Valentine's Day, the private lake that Rachel had brought her to.

The blonde knew that seeing Rachel would be difficult. Hell, it would be one of the worst things she'd have to go through but as Brittany squeezed her hand gently, she knew that she had no other choice.

She had to go see Rachel.

* * *

The wind whipped at her skin, stinging sharply and forcing Quinn to tighten her coat around herself as she stepped out of her old truck. Scanning the empty parking lot, hazel eyes fell upon the car that they had been seeking out. She turned her head to the walkway on her side, her gaze following it to the secluded lake

It was no surprise that she found herself at the small lake but it had taken an massive amount of courage for Quinn to get in her car and even more to step out into the parking lot when she reached her destination.

Santana certainly had a hand in helping Quinn get inside her truck, the blonde cringing at the memory of the threat she'd received when she attempted to head back inside.

Taking a deep breath as she moved towards the sandy shore, her breath hitched at the sight of a small body huddled near the water.

Cursing her body for the reflexive reaction, Quinn forced herself to head towards Rachel. She moved silently, not intending to surprise the brunette but rather in fear of scaring the girl away.

A few yards away, Rachel turned her head slightly, calling out to Quinn over her shoulder. "You shouldn't be here."

The slight tremor in the girl's voice did nothing to deter Quinn, who made her way to Rachel's side before taking a seat next to her. "Neither should you, but from what I've heard you've been coming here quite often."

Chuckling humorlessly, Rachel turned to look Quinn in the eyes for the first time. "You should be the first to know not to believe everything you hear…or see, for that matter." She finished bitterly, turning away again and running her fingers through the sand beside her.

Quinn let out a soft exhale, bracing herself. Though she maintained a calm and collected exterior, her heart was tossing restlessly in her chest.

"I'm sorry, Quinn. That was—that was exceptionally rude of me." Rachel amended quietly, breathing in deeply before continuing. "I just, I don't quite understand why you're here, though I'm guessing Greg told you I was here?"

The blonde scrunched up her face for a brief moment, considering covering for the director before admitting that he had indeed visited earlier. "He told me you weren't doing so well. I thought—well, maybe talking about it would help you—a-and me, too."

Rachel stiffened beside her, "What else did Greg _share_ with you, hmm?"

Quinn looked over curiously, surprise clear on her face at the tone of the brunette's voice, both angry and strangely calm all at once. However, surprise was a fleeting emotion as the blonde found herself becoming increasingly upset with the diva's behavior. "He told me everything you wouldn't. Everything _**you**_ should have told me when I came over."

Quinn laughed then, a single harsh bark, as she glared at the brunette next to her. "Can you believe that? The director in your whole little plot, the bad guy; he was the one who came and talked me through everything. Fuck, Rachel—just…fuck you."

The pregnant pause that followed threatened to swallow Quinn whole, startling her when it was broken by a soft sniffle and a stifled sob.

"I'm sorry." Rachel apologized once more, wiping harshly at her face with a sweater sleeve. "For everything—I'm so _so _sorry."

"I—I don't know what to do with that, Rach." The tired blonde replied resentfully, anguish clearly present in her voice. Her forehead crumpled, white teeth worrying her bottom lip as Quinn turned towards Rachel once more. "Who's Finn?"

The fear passing through the brunette's eyes sent a chill down Quinn's spine, but she found herself unrelenting as she pressed on. "I need to know, Rachel. I need to know who he was and what he did that made you like this; that made you think that it was okay to do this to people."

"Why?" Rachel breathed out, turning her head slightly towards Quinn. "Why do you have to know about Finn? I apologized to you. I told you that I didn't cheat on you with Greg—why can't we just leave it at that?"

"Because," Quinn stressed, turning towards the brunette fully and gripping her shoulder, "He's the reason you broke my heart; I deserve to know what he did because of what you did to me."

"Will you forgive me if I tell you?" The shorter girl asked, her voice lilting upwards near the end in slight hope.

Pausing, the blonde took a moment to seriously consider the request before shaking her head in the negative. "I—Rachel, I don't want to make any promises I can't keep. But I do need to know and I promise to hear you out completely."

Rachel began rocking back and forth, her gaze trained on the clear night sky. "I can't. I'll answer anything else, but that is something I need to keep to myself, Quinn. I—I need you to respect my privacy."

"Rachel…either you tell me or I leave, and if I leave, you can be sure that I will never ever come back."

When the brunette didn't reply, Quinn moved to get up, only to fall back down when Rachel hurried to her feet and rushed towards the parking lot.

Shocked, the blonde followed her with her eyes until the petite girl vanished from sight. The reality of the situation set in and Quinn found herself just a little more broken, though she hadn't really thought it possible.

The tears pricked behind her eyes and the blonde dropped her head in her hands, more than a little upset at the way the meeting had gone. Pulling at her phone, Quinn sent a simple text to Santana letting her know that Rachel hadn't been interested in talking and to not wait up.

After receiving a confirmation text, the blonde slid her phone back in her pocket and lay out in the sand. The tears never fell, but the knot in her stomach was tight and heavy, making her feel sick. She stayed like that for longer than she planned, pulling herself to her feet only when the cold became unbearable.

Making her way over to the parking lot, Quinn faltered in her stride when she saw someone perched on the hood of her truck. Her gaze shot over to where Rachel's car had been parked, her heart slowing in relief at the sight.

"Quinn?"

At the sound of the brunette's voice, Quinn stepped towards the girl, meeting her in the middle of the parking lot.

Rachel was wringing her hands, her body trembling slightly because of the cold. "I— I was going to leave but I—I just couldn't and I decided to wait for you. You—you were taking so long but I was scared to leave; I…I thought that you would—You deserve to know."

Nodding a little eagerly, the taller girl moved to sit down only to look confused when Rachel smiled sheepishly. "C-could we sit inside the car? I-I'm really cold, now."

Nodding once more, Quinn unlocked her truck, gesturing for Rachel to come around to the passenger's side.

It took a moment for the girls to settle inside the old truck and another one for the heater to start pumping warm air into the cab.

The silence didn't last long as Rachel soon cleared her throat, situating herself in the seat so she faced Quinn. "So…Finn."

She let out a nervous chuckle, "I guess the best way to start is to start from the beginning right? I-um, what did Greg tell you?"

"Oh, he—he didn't tell me anything." Quinn explained hurriedly, before closing her eyes tightly in hopes of relaying everything she knew. "Uh—you two were together forever, got engaged, jealousy flared, you guys broke up and then…"

Rachel sighed, "Then I became the psychotic girlfriend who irrationally couldn't trust anyone any more than I could throw them." Dragging a hand through her chocolate curls, the brunette dove into an explanation. "Finn and I got together sophomore year of high school…

"When I met Finn, he had actually been seeing someone else. He was the quarterback of the football team at the time with the head cheerleader perched rightfully on his arm. There had been something about him, something that made him different than all the other jocks and cheerleaders at the school." Turning her head away, an embarrassed blush creeping up her neck, Rachel admitted. "I was never very popular in high school and it was nice to have the attention of such a popular boy."

Going on, Rachel explained how all American and clichéd their relationship had been, how romantic their relationship was as Finn all but abandoned his popularity to pursue her and how swept up in love they had been. "We got engaged and were set to marry near the end of our senior year. We had even gone as far as to pick out the chairs for the ceremony but when I got into NYADA, things came to somewhat of an abrupt stop. We ended up having to put a hold on the wedding and our entire future was up in the air for a while." Pausing here, Rachel shrugged as she explained the slight falling out they had had. "He wanted to pursue his own dreams and felt that I was ignoring his aspirations while chasing mine. Nevertheless, after countless arguments, Finn ultimately decided that following me to New York _**was**_ his immediate dream."

Quinn watched the shorter girl weave this tale with careful eyes, her heart tensing up at each mention of how much Rachel truly was in love with Finn.

The summer was perfect, _blissful_, in Rachel's words, and Quinn's stomach turned, making her slightly nauseous. She busied herself with the heating controls on the car as Rachel reminisced about the new friends they had made, how they had explored the new city together, and how she and her fiancé had simply enjoyed each other's company.

"It was all I could have imagined at the time." Rachel mused with a soft smile on her face. "I was attending my dream school with my dream guy at my side every step of the way. Finn was perfect, too, supportive, caring, encouraging. He got a job at a small car repair shop soon after we moved and though we didn't have much, what we had was ours and that was enough for us. Things didn't start to fall apart until junior year of school. I had begun procuring roles instead of just auditioning for them. A lot of the time, I left early in the morning and didn't return home until late at night. Finn was just concerned at first, I think. Things were a little strained but still good. We had set a date for the wedding, even, and things were still looking great for us. But as time went on and I was forced to stay out rehearsing and preparing, things took a turn for the worse."

Sighing, Rachel ran a hand through her hair and looked up at Quinn with tears shining in her eyes. The blonde hesitated for a split second before reaching over and grabbing Rachel's hands, which only made the other girl let out a choked laugh. "I'm sorry. God, I'm such a mess, Quinn."

Squeezing gently, Quinn offered up a small smile. She could see how difficult it was for Rachel to struggle through this and the blonde was grateful to her. "Don't worry about it. What happened next?"

"He started accusing me, first of lying about where I had been then of having affairs with my costars, directors, teachers, and friends. He began to follow me to places, checking my phone—he never trusted anything I said. Even if what he saw proved it, he'd come up with some off the wall rationalization for his belief I was cheating on him." The brunette hesitated, looking up at Quinn desperately. "I wasn't always like this. I used to be—naïve, for lack of a better word. I trusted Finn completely and expected him to do the same. After what happened, I just—I couldn't accept that someone could trust me, completely. It was a little while longer, when I just stopped trusting them back."

Grimacing, Quinn let out a deep breath, waiting for Rachel to continue. "It got worse and worse, ultimately culminating in our break up. I went into depression soon after, failed all my classes that semester and dropped out of a role. I let myself fall so deep into this hole that I never really came out of it..

"I got scared, paranoid. I always thought that whomever I was dating was suspicious of me. So I began to test them. Little things here and there, just to see if they would end up like Finn later on in the relationship. Greg tried to stop me but I was nothing if not persistent and soon enough, he gave in." Cutting out, Rachel looked up at the blonde, shame coloring her features. "He's not a bad guy, Quinn. He's one of the most amazing people I know and I'm really sorry for making you think anything less than that of him."

"But the whole trust thing? I still don't get it, Rachel." Throwing her hands up in frustration, Quinn exclaimed. "I thought we were okay. I—I trusted you, Rachel."

"I trusted you, too! Believe it or not, I did." Rachel tried to explain. "I want you to understand that I really did. In the beginning, I thought you were my new beginning. My fresh start. Quinn, everything that I couldn't see in myself, I saw in you."

Swallowing thickly, the blonde blinked back tears, feeling the sharp sting in her eyes. "Why then, Rachel? Why do this to me?"

"I couldn't help it, I think. To some degree, once I got the slightest feeling that your friends doubted my intentions—I let it consume me. I stayed up late thinking about it. Thinking about how _**stupid**_ I had been to let myself think you were different. And so it began. It wasn't long before I let the first rumor slip out." Hesitating, Rachel let out a humorless chuckle. "But you just kept on trusting, Quinn. You kept on giving me the benefit of the doubt and I just had to keep testing you. It was all I could think about. I kept rationalizing with myself that the next test would be the last one, that you wouldn't pass for sure, or if you did pass, I'd stop testing you. But that last test was just too far. Seeing you with Kirsten—it broke my heart—but my mind…my mind kept reeling. It just kept repeating in my head that I should have known better. I convinced myself to try to hate you. To pin you as the bad guy and make myself the victim. I—I'm just really fucked up, Quinn." Rachel finished, her voice breaking.

Slightly stunned, Quinn sat back in her seat, releasing her hold on Rachel's hands as her mind tried to catch up to speed. Forehead crumpling in confusion, the blonde turned to look at the other girl, puzzlement clear in her tone. "I don't understand how you knew everything. When to act, when I was coming…it's all just a little too perfect."

"Cameras. They were set up in the parking lot, in the auditorium, the stage. I would just watch for you and at the right time, put the plan into action." Rachel clarified. "Greg has monitors set up in his office. It was just a matter of watching and waiting."

"And the guy in the coffee shop? Was he acting too?" Quinn asked, recalling the fight Rachel had previously had. "Jesus, Rachel! How many people did you fucking convince to participate in this little charade?"

Scrunching her forehead in confusion, Rachel hesitated until realization dawned upon her. Shaking her head vehemently, she was quick to deny Quinn's accusation. "No, no. He was the father of one of the girls who actually did use…._alternative_ methods in hopes of getting ahead. I lost a huge role to her because she was willing to spread her legs and I wasn't. "

Quinn hummed her understanding, her mind reeling to absorb all the new information. The car was silent, tension sitting heavy in the air. The brunette watched the singer carefully, waiting on the edge of her seat for a reaction to everything.

"I—" Quinn began, only to pause and close her mouth in confusion.

"Please say something, Quinn." Rachel pleaded, leaning forward in her seat.

"I think you need help, Rachel." The blonde finished quietly, eyes rooted the floor. It sounded much more condescending in the open air, but Quinn found herself unable to take it back.

The shorter girl next to her slumped back in her seat, her breaths becoming shallow and erratic as she held back tears. Quinn watched as emotions flashed across her face: anger, disbelief, horror, sadness, all that and more as understanding dawned upon the stricken brunette. "He—help? I don't—what do you mean, Quinn? Why can't you help me?"

"Professional help, Rachel. _**Psychological**_ help. You need to go see someone who can help you because I can't deal with this and you can't either. Whatever you're doing? It's not normal or right and it's certainly not fair to the people in your life who trust you," Quinn continued, her grip tightening on the wheel as she barreled through her response.

"What about us?" Rachel asked, her voice small and frightened. The blonde was tempted to turn just to see if the other girl looked as small as she sounded but she knew better. If Quinn didn't do this now, she might never be able to. Rachel, undeterred, reached out for the girl beside her. "I just want to be with you again, Quinn. I'll be better, I promise."

Inhaling deeply, the blonde turned slightly to look at the broken girl nearby. Her heart broke but her mind was made up. Quinn's gaze lingered on the brunette's outreached hand, her own palm itching furiously to take it. She clenched her hands into fists, even going as far as to tuck them underneath her as she spoke softly but firmly. "I'm sorry, Rachel. But you were so worried about me not trusting you that you didn't even realize you were the one stripping that trust away. I don't think I can be with you. Not without—not without being suspicious and paranoid and worrying about whether you're lying or telling the truth or—or _testing_ me again."

The tears were running freely down Rachel's face by now and Quinn was well aware of the dull heartache in her own chest. She knew the pain was just the beginning; that it would grow into a sharp pain akin to the twisting of a knife. Bile rose in her throat at the mere thought. Swallowing hard, Quinn turned the key in her ignition, avoiding Rachel's gaze as she gestured toward the door. "Go home, Rachel. Go home and tomorrow, get help. You're never going to be able to be in a _**healthy **_relationship if you don't."

Rachel's eyes were frantic and she grappled from her seat to grip Quinn's hand in desperation. Her face was contorted in pain and the blonde turned her head away from the sight. "Can we at least be friends?" The brunette requested, her voice breaking mid-sentence. "I can't bear to lose you, Quinn. I just—it'll kill me."

Pausing, Quinn swallowed thickly, her own tears threatening to fall. Shaking her head vehemently, the blonde strengthened her resolve and rejected Rachel's request. "No. Being with you, or even just around you, it's not healthy for me. We've both fucked up and—Rach, nothing good's going to come out of it for either of us and—and maybe you can't see that now, but you'll see it later."

Rachel let out a shaky breath, moving to get out of Quinn's truck without another word. She paused when she was standing outside the door before clambering back in and pressing a lingering kiss to the side of Quinn's temple. The blonde's skin burned on the soft impact and her heart lurched up into her throat at Rachel's words. "I love you. I just—I want you to know that before I leave. I love you, Quinn Fabray and I am so _**so**_ sorry." Stepping out of the truck once more, Rachel smiled sadly at the blonde, "I guess this is goodbye, Quinn."

The door closed gently, but for Quinn it resonated in her mind, echoing in the deep recesses of her head and she knew it was a moment that would keep her awake for nights to come. She didn't even realize the tears until she felt them drip off her chin, bringing a hand up to touch her cheek and bring it away slightly damp. The sobs came soon after, as she watched the brake lights of Rachel's car fade into the distance. Her crying became loud and desperate, her body shaking as the cries racked her frame.

The weeping wouldn't stop, only becoming more amplified when Santana pulled open her driver door and tugged Quinn into a tight embrace. "I'm here now, Q. Let me take you home."

"It's over, San. It's over." The blonde sobbed into the brunette's shoulder, her heart aching at the loss but ultimately knowing that there was no other option left. She clutched at Santana's back, her tears staining the other girl's jacket but Quinn couldn't bring herself to pull away.

Brittany came over almost immediately after Santana, wrapping an arm around Quinn's shoulder and stroking the blonde's hair. She shushed the girl, softly whispering gentle reassurances but Quinn could only cry louder. Her knees gave out from under her and she nearly fell to the pavement, before Santana circled a strong arm around her waist and the trio gently sank to the ground. Quinn buried her face in Brittany's neck, repeating something through her sobs.

The feisty brunette showed a gentle tenderness as she pulled Quinn's hair back and brushed it away from her face. "Sweetheart, I can't understand you. What're you saying?"

Quinn looked up at Santana, her eyes red-rimmed and her nose stuffed. Pain was etched so clearly on the blonde's striking features that Santana felt the familiar prick of tears behind her eyes just by looking at her dearest friend. Quinn took a deep breath, hitching in the middle as she whispered out brokenly.

"She said she loved me-and I told her it was over."

**A/N: And that, ladies and gentlemen, is chapter 8. We're about two (MAYBE three) chapters away from the end and I hope you're all still hanging in with me. Special thanks to mjacton for being an amazing beta. **

**Please leave your thoughts. I'm really eager to see what you guys think. **


	9. Between Us

The blinking LED light of her alarm clock seemed to burn itself into her mind. Quinn had been lying in bed for nearly three hours now and sleep seemed just outside of her grasp.

It had been almost two months since Rachel's confession, and their resulting permanent break up. Immediately after the split, even Quinn had to admit that she had been more or less a drunken mess. It was one thing to suffer through the pain of Rachel's distrust, but Quinn found herself in a deeper depression now that the break up had become official. Unable to roll out of bed, her eyes had become permanently puffy and red-rimmed. Her face was sunken in and hollow, becoming gaunt and sickly in appearance.

She had tried to forget, pushing the thoughts as far out of her head as she could. Quinn had learned, however, that memories like these could never truly be forgotten. They lived on deep in her mind; playing and replaying themselves over and over behind the lids of her eyes. At times, escaping into the good memories eased the pain enough to lull her to sleep but she would jolt awake, shaking visibly and covered in a cold sweat.

But Quinn was nothing if not strong.

She had taken control of her life after two weeks of spiraling into a deep depression, releasing the deep-rooted pain and taking a chance at redemption. The blonde stood up straighter and stopped living recklessly.

Despite her determination to move on, memories of Rachel would rise up unbidden, suffocating the blonde. Tonight, as the night wore on, Quinn found herself struggling to keep the memories of the brunette at bay.

Rubbing fiercely at her face, Quinn willed Rachel's face to fade from her mind, not content with the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Giving up, the blonde sat up gently, careful not to disturb Brittany and Santana who were sleeping nearby.

The couple had moved into a vacated apartment in the same complex as Quinn, pressing a spare key into the palm of her hand and demanding that the blonde use it whenever needed. The trio had a standing movie night each week, the brunette insisting that Quinn come over and spend the night at their new place. Tonight had been an Underworld marathon and Santana and Brittany had fallen asleep just moments after climbing into bed. Quinn had not been as fortunate and she moved quietly around the room gathering her clothes.

She quickly slipped into a pair of jeans, tossed haphazardly aside and checked to make sure she had what she needed.

The tears rolling down her face blurred the flickering streetlights as Quinn forced her feet to move and fall into a steady rhythm. Reaching into the back pocket of her jeans, her fingers pulled at a crumpled pack of cigarettes and then back in deeper in search of a lighter.

The cold was stinging and Quinn's hands shook as she tried to light the cigarette dangling from her lips. It was much more difficult than it should have been and the blonde uttered a curse under her breath.

Three, maybe four tries later, the burning end flickered and blazed brightly, encouraged with every deep inhalation. Quinn breathed in the smoke, holding it inside for just a moment. The nicotine settled in her body before Quinn let the smoke escape past her lips.

Truthfully, Quinn hated the smoke, never finding the taste appealing in the slightest, but despite the taste, the blonde had to admit that it was an oddly comforting and satisfying disgusting habit. She had briefly smoked in a stint during the end of her high school career but had quickly abandoned that habit almost as quickly as she had the pink dye job. She didn't remember when exactly she had picked it up again, but it was one thing she had been unable to shake even as she pulled her life back together.

A small voice nagged at her, irritatingly similar to Rachel's, listing off the negatives of smoking – cancer, addiction, yellow teeth, and seven minutes and some seconds off her life. Quinn scoffed, almost amused at the turn her thoughts had taken, and inhaled deeply, allowing the smoke to fill her lungs.

Moving to the edge of the sidewalk, Quinn sat on the curb and looked up at the pale light coloring the sky. She inhaled once more, losing herself in her thoughts and not noticing the diminishing cigarette until it singed her fingers, forcing her to drop it.

She ran her hands harshly through her hair, letting out a loud groan at herself and her inability to just deal. Standing, she ghosted her hands over her body in search of the small half crumpled box, fishing out another stick and gripping it between her teeth as she lit the end.

Quinn took a long drag, pulling the cigarette out of the corner of her mouth and looking at it in disgust before dropping it and crushing it with the heel of her shoe. She glanced at her phone, internally groaning at how another night had gone by sleeplessly. Shoving her hands deep in her pockets and shoulders hunched, Quinn headed back home with the wind whipping against her skin and chilling her to the bone.

She wanted nothing more than to move on and for the most part, Quinn could honestly say she had. But there were nights burned into her mind that still caused faint tingles to shoot through her veins. There was a voice that still resounded in her mind and there was the softly uttered confession of love that still managed to make Quinn's breath catch, her stomach drop, and her heart skip a painful beat.

She wanted to forget, but the truth was she couldn't. Part of Quinn wondered if it was because she didn't entirely want to. Her heart reproachfully reminded her that this was a love only dreamt about, one that others in her life never came close to, and one that she had been wrapped up in so happily.

But the pain she felt was just as vocal and Quinn knew that as difficult as it was to forget the good times she had had with Rachel, the bad things Rachel had done were just as vivid in her mind.

Reaching the steps of her apartment, the blonde paused and exhaled, releasing her hold and effectively ending her train of thought. She knew it was out of her hands and all she could do for now was to keep moving forward. Eventually, time would lend a hand in healing her broken heart but for now Quinn knew that she would just busy herself in the meantime.

Trudging up to Santana's apartment, Quinn entered quietly, stripping down and slipping underneath the covers. Her eyes fluttering shut, she was almost overcome by sleep when she felt an arm snaking around her waist.

Brittany pulled the girl closer and pressed a sleepy kiss to her forehead. "Next time, wake us up when you go for a walk. I'll send Santana with you. Love you, Q."

With friends like hers, Quinn knew that even with heartbreak like this, she'd make it out okay. There was no way Santana, Brittany, or even Kirsten would let her drown. Quinn allowed a small smile to come and she snuggled deeper into Brittany's embrace, murmuring softly into the quiet room before succumbing to sleep. "Love you, too."

* * *

Quinn lugged up another box to the front of the café, handing it off to Kirsten. "I'm seriously fine. Kirsten, it's been almost six months since the break up."

The brunette used a box cutter to cut open the box, pulling out the new shipment of coffee beans and laying them out on the counter. "Q, I get that. But a date?"

Rolling her eyes, Quinn began to place the bags of coffee on their respective shelves, turning and bumping Kirsten's hip with her own. "I have to get out there sometime, Kirst. Besides, it's just a lunch thing for now."

The blonde could feel her friend's scrutinizing gaze and she let out a chuckle. "Listen, I—I'm not sad anymore. I'm okay. I did the whole dealing thing for a while and now my life's put together for the most part. I need to do this so I don't end up in an apartment all by myself with sixteen cats." Quinn quirked up an eyebrow and smirked in Kirsten's direction.

Affronted, the brunette reached over to pinch Quinn's arm. "You bitch. I just have one cat and I'm not alone. I just don't like roommates and another thing! How dare you have the guts to say anything against Hercules! He's the cutest cat ever, Q. _Ever_."

With another jab to Quinn's side, Kirsten moved to unlock the front door and flip the switch for the open sign. "Anyway, since I'm not going to sit there and let you badmouth Hercules, tell me about your new girlfriend."

Quinn rolled her eyes, putting the last bit off the coffee away before turning towards Kirsten. "She's not my girlfriend. She's one of the dance teachers at Brittany's studio and Santana thinks that we'd be cute together."

"And Brittany?" Kirsten drawled out, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall.

"B thinks that I'm not ready, but seriously, I need to do this." Quinn muttered, breaking down the box and heading to the back.

Humming in understanding, Kirsten pushed off of the wall when the first customer of the morning came in, calling back. "Maybe you can make this like a double or a triple date thing?" Smiling at the older man, Kirsten took her place behind the register to take the order.

Quinn reappeared, nodding politely at the man and leaning against the counter as she watched Kirsten work on the latte the man had ordered. "Let's say I did agree to this, and let me tell you right now, I'm not. Who would you even bring?"

Kirsten secured the lid on the paper cup, slipping on a sleeve before handing it to the customer and nodding goodbye. "I have…people, Q. I'm quite offended that you don't think that I could manage to find someone to bring."

Laughing, the blonde shook her head. "I don't find it hard to believe, Kirst."

Brightening, Kirsten nudged Quinn playfully, "So I am invited?"

"No, Kirsten!" The blonde asserted, pulling out a rag and wiping down the counter. "It's just a late lunch. It's a low-key kind of thing and I'm not about to bring my crazy friends along just to make things awkward."

"Well, you know the rule about late lunch on Fridays don't you?" Kirsten asked, moving to retrieve the pastries from the small oven and place them in the glass viewing case.

Chuckling, Quinn straightened, "No, bestow upon me your knowledge, oh master."

Kirsten paused, looking at Quinn with such disdain. "Do the people you go out with know how big of a nerd you are?" Laughing when the blonde snapped the towel against her ass, Kirsten continued. "Seriously, how do people even like you?"

"Oh for God's sake…the rule, Kirsten?"

"Oh, right." The brunette continued, hesitating to greet a patron setting up a computer in the corner. "Late lunches can turn into early drinks which can turn into a night out which can very easily turn into a night in-if you know what I mean." Winking at Quinn, Kirsten smirked. "Guess your date's not as low-key as you thought."

"I'm working tonight, Kirsten. There's not going to be a night in." Quinn corrected as she watched her friend handle another customer.

"Invite her here, Q." Kirsten suggested. "Britt and Santana will be here and that way I can meet this girl without intimidating her."

"I'll think about it," the blonde answered, moving to start up the other register as the morning rush began to start. "Let's just get lunch over with first."

* * *

Quinn had settled on a long black sweater, form-fitting with a generous neckline, and found herself nervously tapping her fingers on the table at a small street-side café.

The slight breeze pricked at her skin but the bright sun helped to warm her body.

"Annie, hey. I'm so glad you could make it." Quinn scrambled to stand when a gorgeous brunette arrived her table. Pulling out a chair, the blonde gestured for the girl to sit, smiling warmly at the new guest.

"Hello, Quinn." A southern accent tinted the soft lilting voice and Quinn found the corners of her lips quirking up into a smile. "I'm sorry for being late. New York traffic is something I'm still not quite accustomed to."

Waving off her apology, the two women scanned through their menus, the conversation light and inviting. Quinn learned that Annie had recently moved to New York from Tennessee and that dancing had been a passion since she'd been just a child. "I was dancing before I could even run. Granted, I wasn't any good at it back then but I just—I really enjoyed it. The music, the choreography…it all means more to me than to normal people."

Quinn nodded, "I can relate. It's the same with me and singing. You should have seen me when I was young. I sang all of the time. Into hairbrushes, cups, phones-if I could hold it, I sang into it. "

Annie laughed heartily, her eyes twinkling as she looked over at Quinn. "I assure you, I would pay quite a sizable amount to be able to witness that."

"Oh, and I wouldn't? I can already imagine you running around in a little tutu." Quinn exclaimed, taking another sip of her wine.

The brunette scrutinized Quinn, before smirking conspiratorially. "I am going to show you something and it just attests to how much I like you, understand?" At Quinn's nod, Annie leaned in and pulled out her phone, thumbing through it before holding it out for Quinn with an abashed smile. "My mom insisted on putting all of my baby pictures up on Facebook as soon as she signed up. Despite my most earnest attempts, I've been unable to convince her to take them down."

Quinn cupped the back of Annie's hand rather than taking the phone into her own hands, leaning in even closer and examining the photo of a toddler in a ballerina's outfit. "I'm glad she didn't." The blonde murmured softly. "You look adorable."

Taking satisfaction in the small blush tinting the brunette's cheeks, Quinn leaned back to take a sip of her wine. The waiter arrived and the blonde prattled off her order. With Annie momentarily occupied, the blonde took a moment to let her eyes roam over her date.

She had dressed modestly but classier than Quinn, a pale blue dress adorning her body. Annie smiled widely at the waiter, laughing at a well-placed joke and the blonde found herself enjoying the sincerity behind the laugh. Hazel eyes fell upon their hands on the table-top. Annie was just a few shades darker than the pale girl, her nails manicured and dainty. Rachel was a shade or two darker than Annie and she kept her nails trimmed and short.

Without thinking, Quinn reached over the last few inches and traced the back of Annie's hand, her eyes climbing up the brunette's body before coming to a stop at a pair of warm brown eyes watching her with interest. Her mouth suddenly dry, Quinn found her heart racing as she realized that the waiter had been gone for quite some time and that Annie had been watching her intently. Her gaze was so similar to Rachel's, warm but with an undercurrent of electric passion that Quinn found herself struggling to focus on the beautiful brunette sitting in front of her.

Managing to shove Rachel to the back of her mind, Quinn cleared her throat, rubbing her face harshly. Annie leaned in, concern etched on her features as she covered Quinn's free hand with her own. "Are you okay, Quinn?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. Just—I spaced out a bit there." The blonde answered, her voice just the tiniest bit shaky. "God, it's getting chilly out here. I should have asked the hostess to seat us inside. Annie scrutinized the other girl, intent on making sure that she was all right before settling back into her chair and picking up her wine glass.

"I don't know about you, but I think it's just pleasant outside." Annie drawled out, a smile playing on her lips. "But here, if you're cold, take my jacket."

The brunette reached over placing a jacket over Quinn's shoulders, nodding proudly with satisfaction. "Don't let it be said I've lost my southern hospitality, Quinn." Annie teased with a wink in the blonde's direction. "So, tell me, Quinn Fabray. What's your type?" The Tennessee native continued. "Brunette, brown eyed? I hope you like tan girls, because, honey, this is light as I get."

"Yeah, you could say that that's my type." Chuckling nervously, Quinn groaned internally as images of Rachel bombarded her mind, vivid and crystal clear. The blonde found herself struggling with repressing the random memories of her ex-girlfriend and smiled feebly at the other girl.

Trailing a finger seductively down the blonde's arm, Annie fixed a smoldering gaze in Quinn's direction. "Good. That means that you won't be opposed to getting out of here after we eat."

Quinn was pleased not to have had any more intrusions of the ex-girlfriend kind and was genuinely enjoying herself. She quickly learned that Annie was sweet, sincere, and kind.

She had swatted away the blonde's hand when the bill came, asserting that chivalry wasn't dead so long as she was still alive and that Quinn should know better than to attempt to pay. The dancer had tipped heavily, waving it off when the waiter had come back to the table to thank her for the generosity.

Annie just took Quinn's hand and smiled as she shyly explained to the blonde. "It doesn't hurt me to give a little more. Besides, my mama always used to say that the good I do in the world will eventually come around to me. So who knows? Maybe I'll win the lottery someday." Nudging Quinn playfully, the brunette led them to her car and told the blonde to just follow her.

Quinn was surprised, to say the least, when she found herself in a small bar. It was intimate and the blonde couldn't help but be impressed with Annie's taste. She was sipping on something a little stronger than she was used to, liquid courage Annie had called it, adding a wink in the blonde's direction when ordering two.

The singer wasn't sure how much courage it gave her but she felt pleasantly warm on the inside. And she knew she had the drink to thank. Annie was sitting much closer than she had been at the restaurant, their knees brushing with even the slightest movement.

Perhaps influenced by their surroundings, the conversation had taken a more intimate turn, with the brunette's hand laced loosely with Quinn's. The blonde, however, was surprised to find that she didn't mind and when Kirsten called, reminding her about her gig at the café, Quinn didn't think twice before downing her drink and inviting Annie along.

* * *

"Damn, Q. Britt told me she was hot but she didn't tell me she was smoking!" Santana whispered into the blonde's ear, gripping Quinn's shoulder giddily. "Sing something seductive tonight. Something sexy—Oh! Let's get it onnnn…"

Shoving the laughing brunette off of her, Quinn rolled her eyes, immediately dismissing the idea. "Don't even. I'm not about to get up there and sing Marvin Gaye on the first date."

"Oh come on, Quinn! I'll sing backup!" Kirsten added in, coming up from behind the blonde and nudging her playfully. Smiling warmly at Brittany and Annie, the barista admitted, "All jokes aside, though, Annie's great."

Santana scoffed, sending a brief but loving glance at the blonde talking animatedly with Annie. "Don't doubt Brittany. She never does anything half-assed."

Taking a drink from one of the working baristas, Kirsten leaned against the wall as she took in the crowd. "So what're you planning on opening with?"

Quinn's forehead crumpled in deep thought, a frown pulling at her lips. Suddenly, there was an arm snaking around her waist and a pair of soft lips pressing against her cheek. "Whatever you're thinking about, stop. I hate it when you frown." Annie said, looking down shyly when she realized she had four pairs of amused eyes on her.

Quinn smiled down at Annie, gesturing to a table set up near the front of the stage. "Why don't you guys take a seat? The set's about to start and I need to get my guitar tuned up and ready." She squeezed her date's hand and smiled at the rest of her group before disappearing into the back to prepare.

It took just a moment to double check her guitar and Quinn found herself pacing, unable to decide on her opening song. She thought she'd have time to make it home and get a set list together but Annie had completely derailed that plan. And the blonde found herself scrambling to find the perfect song to open with. She had a standard setlist prepared but Quinn wanted to impress Annie tonight and the stress was getting to her. She wanted to set the mood but she couldn't help but be brought back to the first time Rachel had heard her sing.

It was time to move on, though, and Quinn knew that she needed to take this step.

Jimmy appeared in the doorframe, smiling fondly at Quinn and the blonde nodded as she picked up her guitar. Before she could leave, Kirsten burst into the room, eyes frantic and wide.

Quinn, startled, watched as her friend swallowed hard, hoarsely whispering, "Rachel's here, Quinn. She's outside."

The blonde's heart stopped, her brain racing to find a way out of the situation when a soft knock caught her attention. Looking up at the brunette leaning against the doorframe, Quinn gulped.

Annie closed the gap between them, taking Quinn's hand in her own. "I asked Jimmy if I could come back here for just a second. I wanted to wish you good luck and tell you how great a time I'm having tonight. Thank you for all this, for whatever it is between us. Break a leg tonight." Nodding politely at Kirsten, the brunette made her way back to her table leaving Quinn on the verge of tears.

Gripping the blonde's shoulder tightly, Kirsten murmured softly almost as if any loud noise or sudden movement would break the girl in front of her. "Santana's running interference. We can get out of here, right now. Brittany can take care of Annie and we can just leave out the back."

She was tempted, but Quinn blinked back tears as she inhaled deeply. "No."

Blinking in surprise, Kirsten leaned in whispering urgently. "Quinn, seriously. You don't have to do this if you're not ready—"

"I'm never going to be ready, Kirst, but I'm not going to let her keep me from living my life. " Quinn asserted firmly, tightening her grip on her guitar and walking out to the stage.

Keeping her eyes glued to the floor, Quinn lifted her gaze only to meet that of Brittany's, her heart aching at the worry and sympathy she found there.

Sitting on the stool, Quinn feebly smiled at the sizable crowd, eyes flitting to Annie, who smiled encouragingly at the blonde, and then to Kirsten and Santana arguing in the corner with whom she presumed was Rachel. Tilting her head, Quinn found herself craning her neck until the small brunette pushed through the barricade Santana and Kirsten had created and met the blonde's gaze head on.

All breath gone from her lungs, Quinn found herself unable to tear her gaze away, eyes roaming over Rachel and bouncing from spot to spot. The brunette looked good, lighter almost in a sense that Quinn was unable to put her finger on. A clearing of a throat behind her startled the blonde and she turned to find Kirsten taking the place of the piano player.

"Keep it together, Quinn. I'm going to play back up for you. Focus on Brittany, Santana, and me. That's it." Kirsten muttered, shooting daggers in Rachel's direction.

Quinn nodded shakily, handing Kirsten a small crumpled piece of paper. "That's the set list. We're starting with 'Between Us'."

Hesitating, Kirsten looked up at the singer unsurely. "You really want to do that song?"

"It's what I decided on before I knew she was here. I need to stick with it," the blonde answered, donning a brave face and pulling out a pick from her back pocket.

At Quinn's nod, Kirsten settled on the bench and began to play the first notes, letting out a sigh of relief when the soft strumming of Quinn's guitar joined in.

"_Hey, stranger. When may I call you my own?"_ the blonde crooned out lowly, her eyes dipping to meet Annie's, receiving a small smile in response. _"I know I don't know you, but there's somewhere I've seen you before."_

She nodded at Santana, who had taken a seat next to Brittany and watched on with pride etched on her features. "_Whatever your name is, whatever you do. There's nothing between us I'm willing to lose."_

Quinn continued on, actively avoiding Rachel's gaze and closed her eyes as the music washed over her. When her eyes fluttered open, she smiled at the sight of the crowd gently swaying in time with the music.

"_And I'm drifting out over deep oceans and the tide-it won't take me back in. And these desperate nights, I'll call you again and again. _

Brittany tilted her head, resting her shoulder on Santana's as she let the smallest smile pull at the corners of her mouth. Reaching up, the dancer made a heart shape with her fingers, mouthing "I love you" up at Quinn.

The blonde found herself smiling, more at ease now that the music had calmed her frayed nerves. Quinn's eyes landed on Rachel then, her breath catching when she noticed the brunette's teary gaze. _"Wherever you live now, wherever you walk. There's distance between us I'm willing to cross." _Hazel eyes remained fixed on the brunette as the first tear snaked its way down Rachel's cheek, the diva reaching up almost immediately to wipe it away before anyone else could notice.

"_Now I'm drifting out over deep oceans, and the tide—it won't take me back in."_

Quinn sang on, her voice dipping with emotion as her gaze remained on Rachel's. Repeating the chorus, the blonde forced herself to tear her eyes away from the brunette and swallowed hard before finishing the song with her eyes fixed solely on Santana.

Standing up, Quinn thanked the crowd, excusing herself as Kirsten stood to take her place. "Thank you, Quinn. She's going to take a quick little break, but don't worry. I'm here to take care of you guys."

The blonde pushed past the crowd, jerking her head in the direction of the backroom when Santana looked at her questioningly. Quinn collapsed on the small couch, looking up at the small group of people shuffling inside warily. "You guys need to make her leave."

Annie took a spot on the couch next to Quinn, taking her hand and admitting softly, "I don't understand what's happening, Quinn. But I'm here for you."

"We're all here for you." Brittany added, taking a seat on the other side of the blonde and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "But Quinn, you need to be an adult. Remember what we talked about? Grown ups—"

"I remember, Britt. But—Santana, please, you know I'm not ready. Make Rachel leave," Quinn interjected, hoping that her friend would take pity on her.

"But, how am I supposed to make her leave? I already tried and—"

"And I promptly refused to do so, even when she and Kirsten kindly offered to physically remove me from the premises." Rachel interjected quietly, entering the room. "I need a moment alone with Quinn."

Rounding on the diva, Santana growled threateningly. "If you think for even a second, I'm going to let you get anywhere near her, you are sorely fucking mistaken."

"Britt," Quinn whispered softly, "could you please take Annie out to her car?" Turning to her date, the blonde apologized. "I really enjoyed tonight and I'm sorry about what's going on right now. I'll call you, I promise."

Annie took a deep breath in, her eyes narrowed in Rachel's direction. Nodding stiffly, she leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to the corner of Quinn's mouth. "I'll be waiting. Thank you for an amazing night."

As the dancer walked out with Brittany, she murmured a soft goodbye to Santana and promptly shoulder checked Rachel into the wall, looking not at all apologetic. "Oh. I'm sorry, darling. Best to watch where you're going. You don't want to step on any toes."

"See, now that's the kind of brunette that I like," Kirsten said, strolling in the room. Pointing at Rachel, she spat out, "We reserve the right to kick people we don't like out. So come on, munchkin, you're being removed."

Ignoring Kirsten, Rachel moved towards Quinn huffing angrily when Santana held out an arm to block her. "Seriously? Quinn, I need to talk to you about something important. Could I please have a moment?"

"You don't owe her anything, Q." Santana hissed out, scowling at the diva.

Brittany walked in the room, taking in the scene and shaking her head. She moved to a chair and sat quietly. Quinn watched the dancer's obvious disapproval and sighed. "It's fine. Rachel, let's go outside."

Standing up, Quinn took a hold of Rachel's arm and led her outside. They gently weaved through the crowd; the blonde smiling in response to the compliments patrons gave her in passing.

"You're quite popular, Quinn." Rachel murmured softly, pulling her coat closed. The sound of clicking caught her attention and the brunette exclaimed, completely displeased. "You smoke now?!"

Nodding, Quinn took a long drag, taking satisfaction in the obviously disgusted look on Rachel's face.

The diva scowled, not at all happy with the confession, but let it go. Glancing out in the parking lot, she asked, "So, new girlfriend?"

Frowning, Quinn shrugged, begrudgingly divulging that it had just been a first date. "I'm here to listen to what you have to say, Rachel, not talk about who I'm seeing and what she likes to do in her spare time." She took another long drag, surprised that she had finished the cigarette so quickly. Turning to Rachel, she jerked her head to the door. "It's cold. We'll talk in the backroom and I'll grab us some coffee.

Rachel agreed mutely, following the blonde to the back of the coffee shop and taking a seat on the small couch. She watched as Quinn instructed her friends to vacate the area before disappearing herself and bringing back two cups of coffee.

Rather than hand the cup to Rachel, the part-time barista set it on the table in front of her and moved to pull out a chair in favor of the expanse of space on the soft cushions next to the other girl.

Quinn kept her eyes on her own mug, ignoring the brief flash of pain in Rachel's eyes, choosing to maintain an impassive demeanor. Eyes flitting up for a second, she watched as the brunette toyed with a loose string on the arm of her chair and thought of the opportunity the two had lost.

Rachel lifted her gaze to meet Quinn's and her smile faltered at the pain still fresh in the blonde's eyes. The taller girl dropped her gaze and took a long sip of the scalding liquid, ignoring the vivid pain of what felt like her heart breaking all over again.

She sat stiffly, her eyes roaming over the brunette, the affection shooting through every vein of her body. She felt like she was breaking apart and falling in love all over again. Willing her emotions to stay buried, Quinn swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly utterly dry. She moved to take another sip when Rachel released a small smile, unknowingly releasing masses of butterflies loose in the blonde's stomach, weakening her knees.

They drank the coffee in silence for several long seconds, choosing to listen to the movements behind the counter, the soft murmuring of the other customers, and the hissing sounds of the coffee machines rather than each other.

"I've been seeing someone." Rachel confessed, her fingers circling the rim of her mug.

Hazel eyes shot up from Quinn's mug and collided with swirling brown, making contact for a brief instance before she cleared her throat. "That's—good. I'm happy for you. Rachel."

Seemingly taken aback by the response, Rachel set the mug down suddenly and reached over. "No, no! I mean—" Pausing, the brunette took a breath, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "I meant professionally seeing someone. After we broke up—after everything you said, Quinn, I made an appointment with a therapist. We've been working through my issues almost as long as we've been apart, which is actually why I'm here today."

Quinn white knuckled her mug, her gaze fixed on Rachel's hands. "I—I'm really glad you're getting the help you need, Rachel. But, Rach—I don't know what you want me to do."

Setting the mug down, Rachel sat back and gestured for the blonde to come sit by her. When Quinn acquiesced, the brunette took her hands and squeezed gently. Ignoring the jolt that ran through her body at the diva's touch, Quinn tried to focus on Rachel's words rather than her hands.

"Part of why I decided to go through with counseling is because of what happened between _us_. I hurt you more than anyone else in my life and I need to properly ask for forgiveness. My therapist said that it'd be best if you could come to a few sessions, but it's entirely at your own discretion," Rachel added hurriedly. Hesitating, she bit her lip before continuing. "Finn is going to be coming to a few sessions as well. Not the same ones you'll be attending, of course. Not yet, at least. But the ideal situation is for the three of us to meet together. Finn, being the one who hurt me the most, and you, being the one I hurt the most."

Swallowing hard, Quinn worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "Rachel—I need time to think about this." Watching as the brunette's face fell, the other girl already pulling her hands away from Quinn's propelled the blonde to continue. "I—You have to know how proud I am of you. I just am so happy that you took this step in your life but I don't know what you expect from me. I can come to those sessions. I can be supportive and there for you but not with expectations—just as a friend, and not even any commitment beyond that, just a friend. I don't want to walk in there and do all this with you expecting us to reunite in the end."

Rachel's eyes fluttered shut, her hands tightening their hold on Quinn's as she let out a sigh. "Caitlyn says to be honest. I would be lying if I told you I didn't still feel something for you but this isn't for you, Quinn. It might have been in the beginning. I thought it might have been the only way that you would come back but since then it's all changed. I needed to trust myself and then work on everyone else around me." Pausing, the brunette let a hopeful smile pull up the corners of her lips. "For the first time, I don't worry all the time. It's—liberating. I feel so much lighter now and I want you to come because I want to keep making progress.

"As for my intentions, " Rachel continued, "despite the fact that I would love to pursue a romantic relationship with you, I know what's good for me and I know that right now, that's not it."

The hurt flashed through Quinn and it must have been obvious because suddenly, Rachel was backtracking frantically. "As a friend, you're a great thing for me. Quinn, please don't cry."

Sniffling, Quinn used her sleeve to swipe at her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm not—this is all just a little overwhelming."

Smiling understandingly, the brunette patted Quinn's knee. "Can we please start over, not forgetting, not even forgiving, not yet. Just two friends helping each other out? Then, perhaps, someday we can pursue something more intimate."

Quinn nodded, warily glancing in Rachel's direction. "If I don't want to do it anymore, I can—"

"Stop anytime you want to, pinky promise. If it ever gets to be too much, just let me know and I promise not to bother you again," Rachel assured, smiling unsurely at the blonde as she continued. "Though, I hope that isn't the case. You make the best latte and I've really missed this café."

Laughing through unshed tears, Quinn smiled, small but sincere. "When's the next session?"

**A/N: Once again, huge thanks to mjacton for reviewing this ahead of time. I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! Side note: Did everyone get a chance to see the newly released Bridesmaid scene from Glee? :)**


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